Prototypes
by Black Phoenix Risen
Summary: After the fall of the Manhunters, the Guardians accidentally release seven forbidden prototype rings and one of their most dangerous prisoners; Krona. With several dangerous weapons and the greatest evil they have ever faced loose in the universe, the Guardians are relying on Hal Jordan and his team to retrieve the rings and stop Krona before it's too late. T for violence.
1. Prison Break

I do not own any characters in the DC cannon. I do own my OCs, original lantern corps, and this story.

Chapter 1: Prison Break

The Guardians were floating around at random in the room. Each one looked more nervous than the last. Except for Appa, he just looked mad and impatient. Finally, the door opened and the final guardian entered the chamber.

Appa turned to face him. "Ganthet! It's about time!" Ganthet brushed off his blue robes and tried to ignore his angry and bureaucratic comrade. "Now that we're _finally _all together," Appa said, glaring at Ganthet, "We can begin." The Guardians quickly formed a large circle in the room and focused their powers. A massive, green drill formed from their combined willpowers and began rotating at speeds that would shame a race car. With a loud whirl, the drill slammed into the floor and began to chip away at the green material.

"I don't see why this is truly necessary." Sighed Ganthet.

Appa glared at him. "Oh, shut up Ganthet. Don't pretend we aren't here because of your mistake."

Ganthet grunted. "I stand by my decision. My releasing the blue power ring and battery was the only thing that allowed us to fight back the Red Lanterns."

"And look what it has brought us in the long run!" snapped Appa. Ganthet kept his mouth shut, knowing that truly, the situation was his fault, even if he had no regrets. After a few minutes of effort, the drill broke through the floor into the vault below. Appa turned to his fellow Guardians. "You all know your duties! Go!" The Guardians floated through the hole and into a curved chamber. In it were dozens of short pillars, each with a shining light encased within. The Guardians spread out and examined the contents of the pillars, looking for distinctive cracks or crevices that might lead to the lights' escape.

Cries of "Clear!" rang out in the room for a few minutes. Appa sighed, satisfied that everything was as it should be.

He turned to Ganthet. "This doesn't excuse your negligence, Ganthet!" he declared. Ganthet sighed and rubbed his temples. He couldn't wait to get back to Odym and to help the Blue Lantern Corps's newest member, a former Red Lantern. One by one, the Guardians flew out of the room, each repairing a bit of the floor as they went. Appa glowered at Ganthet as he flew out, leaving Ganthet alone in the room. Ganthet looked around and sighed. So much potential that would never be realized. Perhaps Appa was right; these were, after all, prototypes.

Ganthet drifted out of the room and stood with his fellows. The last chunk of floor floated up and began to slide into place behind him.

A blast of light blew them towards the wall and the hole in the floor burst open. A tall figure floated down into the hole. Ganthet, Sayd, and Appa scrambled to get to the edge of the hole and they both peered down in horror at the intruder.

"It's him!" whispered Ganthet. Appa simply stood, unable to form words his fear was so great. It was a tall, blue-skinned humanoid with flowing clothing. He looked around for a moment, making careful calculations. He shot forward in a zig-zag formation, too fast for the naked eye to follow. He bounced off the pillars and seven beams of light shot out of the hole, causing Appa and Ganthet to stumble backwards. Seven different colored rings emerged in each beam of light and immediately burst outwards, trying to find a suitable host of their specific emotion. The Guardians stood dumbfounded as their hard work and efforts were torn asunder as each ring shot out into the inky blackness of space.

Slowly, the invader flew out of the hole. Appa finally found words. "Krona." He whispered.

The first prisoner of the Guardians peered down at his captors. He leaned down and spoke directly to Appa. "I am weak now, but I have caused enough chaos to keep you busy while I recharge. When I am ready, rest assured I will return and the slaughter will be glorious." His voice was rough and gravelly, but deep and echoing with a greater strength.

Appa cleared his throat and stood up. "You will fail, Krona! All your efforts will do is get you locked right back up! Save yourself the pain and embaressment of defeat and get back in your cell!" Krona smiled cracked his neck, causing Appa to take a nervous step back. No more words were exchanged, but their positions were made painfully clear.

With that, Krona began to shake and vibrate before he disappeared completely. For a full hour, each Guardian stood still and silent, trying to process what had just happened and what it meant for the universe.

Finally, all of them but Appa said the same thing simultaneously. "Get us Jordan!" Appa scowled, but nodded.

. . .

Hal Jordan bit into a burger for the first time in months. "You know what the worst thing about long space trips are?"

Carol Ferris raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing the constant perils, inevitable fighting, and possibility of death?"

"No, it's that anything not from Earth tastes like sour apples, spoiled milk, or toothpaste." Ferris giggled. They were sitting in a nice, sidewalk burger joint in Coast City. Hal sighed and gazed up at the blue sky. "Seriously though, Carol, I can't tell you how great it is to be home."

Carol took a sip of her drink. "Speaking of being home, when do you plan to go back to being a full-time superhero?"

Hal laced his hands behind his head. "Oh, I figure Guy can handle things for a while. He's an arrogant, hot-headed jerk, but he gets results. For now, I'm off-duty until there's a crisis and the Guardians call me."

Carol smirked. "You're not off-duty from me, hotshot. You still have a few planes to fly at 0900 hours tomorrow. We're showing off for a government contractor, so make it good."

Hal laughed. "You're telling me to be good? Please, I'm the best." He took another bite of his burger and reveled in the greasy taste. "Sweet God that's delicious."

Carol took her napkin. "Here, you got some ketchup…" she leaned forward and dabbed at the corner of Hal's mouth. Hal smiled and took her hand in his.

They got closer together and their lips were millimeters from each other when a beep ruined the mood. Hal leaned back and looked at his hand. His green power ring was beeping and glowing. He looked up guiltily at his girlfriend who gave a tired smile and waved him off wordlessly.

Hal stood up, looked around to make sure nobody was around, and transformed into his alter ego, the Green Lantern. "I'll make it up to you." He said as he flew up into the air, "I promise."

. . .

It was an hour-long flight to get to Oa from Earth, and that meant going through a wormhole. Otherwise, it could take anywhere from a day to some months. When Hal exited the wormhole, he flew down towards Oa's surface. As he grew closer to the planet, his ring grew quieter. He flew past massive, glamorous, green towers where other lanterns trained, ate, slept, and lived. Other lanterns waved to him as he went by, recognizing him from his triumph over the Anti-Monitor and the Manhunters.

Hal swerved sharply and wove his way through familiar passageways of the Hall of Oa. Finally, he found himself at the doors to the council room. He knocked on the door and almost immediately, Salaak, secretary to the immortal beings, opened it.

"Ah, Lantern Jordan," said the multi-armed alien, "The Guardians have been expecting you."

Hal grunted. "Of course," Salaak opened the door and Hal flew straight into the council room of the Guardians. He looked up at the ring of immortal protectors overhead. "You called at a bad time." He complained.

"How did you know? We tried to keep this quiet." said Ganthet.

Hal cocked an eyebrow. "Ganthet? What are you doing here?"

Ganthet sighed, "I'm paying for my mistakes, I suppose."

Appa cleared his throat. "When Ganthet created his Blue Lantern Corps, he released the blue power ring and battery from a vault of our prototype rings, which we created before we settled on using the green power of will to make our Corps. Unfortunately, his interference allowed an old evil to escape from its ethereal prison."

Hal folded his arms. "Okay, with you so far."

"The evil is called Krona." Explained Ganthet, "Before he escaped, he freed several of our prototype rings and set them loose upon the universe."

Appa scowled. "Due to your…adequate performance in the Anti-Monitor crisis, the council has decided that you will head up a mission to retrieve these prototype rings, 2814."

Hal stared up in amazement. "So let me get this straight; you want me to lead a group of lanterns to find a few tiny little rings across the entire universe and bring them back?"

"Correct," said the council as one.

"But what about Krona?"

Appa held up his hand. "We will handle Krona. But you must retrieve those rings. We have taken the liberty of assembling a team for you. They are waiting for you in the main hangar. Now go, the sooner you leave, the sooner you can start your search!"

"Nice to know you want to keep me around, Appa." Hal muttered as he flew towards the door.

"Oh, and 2814?" Hal turned around, "This is a top secret mission. Only you and your team know about this and even they do not know all the details. It was only by the will of the council that you were informed of the existence of Krona. So keep this quiet." Hal nodded and flew out of the room, Salaak closing the door behind him.

. . .

The main hangar was usually a bustling place, but today it was nearly empty. There was only one ship and four people in the entire room. Kilowog was under the ship on a rolling construct, making a few last minute adjustments. "That should do it." He said, rolling out from under the machine. He stood up and gasped, feeling a sudden power surge through his ring. He turned and saw a blue figure flying towards him from across the hangar. "Hey, Saint!" he said, waving. He turned back to give the ship one final look over. He glanced at the Blue Lantern and did a double take when he saw an old friend admired the machine. "Razer?"

"Greetings, Kilowog," said Razer curtly, "How are you?"

Kilowog stared. "How am I? How are you? You're…blue!"

"Thank you, Kilowog, for that brilliant observation." Razer sneered, "Yes, you could say I have been transferred." He held up his left hand and flashed his blue power ring. "But don't worry," he motioned to a small sac held in a necklace around his throat, "I keep a backup." The sac pulsed a subtle red.

Kilowog hugged Razer, surprising both of them. "I'm proud of you, pozer." He said, letting the smaller alien down.

"Thank you, but I must ask; who chose those two for this mission?" He motioned subtly over his shoulder to where a young girl was playing on the floor with a squirrel. Both were dressed in green, but the girl had a white top.

"I did," said Kilowog proudly, "Two of my best trainees. It's all the Corps can spare right now. Everyone else is busy."

"Mmm, they don't seem very…experienced."

"Trial by fire, I say. Ah, here he is!"

Hal flew into the hangar and walked over to his two friends. "Kilowog, good to see you! Razer! What's with the new color?" Razer rolled his eyes and raised his hand. "Huh, would explain why I feel ten times stronger than usual. It's good to see you." He shook both of his old friends' hands and looked up at the white ship behind them. "What's this?"

"The Interceptor II," said Kilowog, rubbing the side of the ship with his elbow to give it a shine, "But we took the liberty of re-christening her." It was nearly identical to the original Interceptor, but was more streamlined. The name 'Aya' was carved on the hull in letters made from green constructs. Razer gently ran his hand over the name and his ring glistened.

"Perfect," said Hal, looking over the machine, "Does she have a nav computer?"

Kilowog grimaced. "Lame-o. Apparently, the Guardians kept a duplicate back-up program. We shut him down, for the good of the mission, I think."

"Okay, so we'll do this by hand." Muttered Hal, "Fine. Well, let's not waste any more time. We've got some rings to find." He flew onto the ship, Kilowog and Razer following suit. The interior of the ship was just as he remembered it and he sat down in the pilot's seat. Kilowog and Razer took their places just as the two trainees entered. Hal stared at them in confusion as they took seats at the front dashboard. "Ah, who're you?"

The young girl blushed and waved politely. She had a white, form-fitting shirt, blonde hair and pointed ears. "Hi! Um, I'm Arisia and this is Ch'p. He says you already know him" The squirrel scampered up her arm and gave Hal a salute from her shoulder.

Hal glanced at Kilowog. "Um, what is this?"

"I figured they could use some on the job training." Kilowog said without turning back.

Hal glared at him. "Nope, no way am I bringing rookies on a-"

"It was approved by the Guardians." Interrupted Razer.

"Besides, Ch'p already beat you in a fight." Pointed out Kilowog.

Hal sighed and rubbed his temples. "Of course. Alright, you two," he said to the trainees, "But keep up and keep down." With that, Hal powered up the ship. The Aya hummed with wonderful, electric life and lifted off the ground. "Mmm, handles like a dream," said Hal as he flew the ship out of the hangar and shot off into space. "Now, how do we find these things?"

. . .

Three orbs of light spiraled through the Milky Way. Coincidentally, they all spun towards the same world: a moderately sized, water covered planet inhabited by carbon-based life forms.

On the planet, there was a girl from another world gently floating above a city, looking down over the people, making sure they were safe.

In another city was an alien in disguise, the last of his kind. He lived among the natives of the world, a lone survivor on a strange planet.

On the surface of the planet was a teenage boy, simply existing.


	2. Arriving on Earth

Same disclaimers as before.

Chapter 2: Arriving on Earth

Appa stood alone in the council room. He was gently floating from one side of the room to another, deep in thought. He had not left the room for hours and had been pacing the whole time. Finally, he stopped and sighed. He flew to the door and knocked. Salaak stuck his head in questioningly.

"Is something wrong, Guardian Appa?" he asked, sincere concern in his voice, "What can I do for you?"

Appa took a deep breath. What he was doing could be described as treason, but the danger was two great. "Lantern Sinestro should be returning to Oa soon from his mission on Qward. Tell him I want to see him immediately." Salaak nodded and withdrew his head, closing the door behind him. It was only a ten minute wait for Sinestro to fly into the room, bowing deeply. "Rise, Sinestro," Appa said.

Sinestro stood. "Why do you wish of me, sir?"

Appa grit his teeth. There was still time to turn back. "Before the Guardians created the Green Lantern Corps, we experimented with a number of different rings connected to the emotional spectrum." Too late now. "While we made many and eventually chose the stable element of green willpower, the most powerful ring we ever created was one of yellow fear." Sinestro's eyes widened. "Recently, the yellow ring…disappeared. Now, believe it or not, we Guardians do feel fear for a few beings in the universe. Luckily, most of them are captured in prisons and the like. My mission for you is to investigate these beings that we fear and make sure that the yellow ring of fear has not found it's way to them."

Sinestro nodded. "I will not fail you, master Guardian." He gently floated up, his life support systems turning on.

"Your ring will guide you," said Appa, "And be discreet. The last thing we need with a ring powered by fear on the loose is a panic." Sinestro nodded and flew off. Appa sighed and rubbed his forehead. Despite Sinestro's brash attitude, he was the most loyal and capable lantern Appa had ever seen, superior in every way to Hal Jordan.

"Going behind the council's back, Appa?" Appa spun around, his arms raised. Ganthet stepped out of the shadows. "How unlike you."

Appa lowered his hands. "I thought you had left to be with your Blue Lantern Corps. What are you still doing here?"

Ganthet floated forward, his arms folded in front of him. "Well I couldn't just leave without saying good-bye, now could I?"

Appa glared at him. "It had to be done. We need to make sure nobody who can inspire fear in _us_ gets their hands on that ring."

"I agree entirely," said Ganthet, "But I would have done it with the blessings of the council."

Appa snorted. "You? Get the blessing of the council on something like this?"

Ganthet smiled. "Mock my past lack of obedience if you want, but know that now you are in my shoes. That fear and anger you feel? That is how I felt for months while Jordan was away dealing with our problems in the Frontier."

Appa snarled and turned away, floating towards the door. "Do not mistake my desire for efficiency and security to be disobedience, Ganthet." He said as he left, "We are nothing alike." He slammed the door, leaving Ganthet alone.

The blue-robed Guardian sighed. "I hope you will see that you are wrong, brother." He murmured as he drifted upwards, "We are very much alike."

. . .

One Earth, Kara Zor-El was just waking up. She had fallen asleep at the top of the Lexcorp building last night after a particularly trying night of saving people's lives. As she rubbed her eyes, there was a loud bang from across the city. She bolted upright and used her supervision to look off into the distance. A building on Tomorrow Avenue was smoking and the top ten floors were lit up like the fourth of July. She glanced down at herself to make sure she was wearing the right clothes and, after reassuring herself that she was in her Supergirl outfit, flew into the air and shot like a cannonball towards the fire. She arrived and darted inside. It took only five seconds to save everyone in the building. When she was certain that all the people were out, she used her super breath to put out the fire. Below her, the people cheered.

"God, I love my job." She said with a smile as she waved. She flew off towards the Daily Planet building. She needed to speak to her cousin and see why he hadn't found and woken her.

A gleam of light from the corner of her eye caught her attention and she turned. It was some kind of meteor hurtling towards the Earth somewhere outside the city. Supergirl narrowed her eyes and flew towards the meteor. She was about to intercept it when it suddenly veered off course and slammed into her. She tumbled to the ground and skid across a street in the suburbs of Metropolis. She groaned and rubbed her head. "Did anyone get the plate number of that truck?" she muttered sarcastically. She looked down at the meteorite and her eyes widened. As the light surrounding it dimmed, she saw that it wasn't a space rock, it was a ring.

It was golden with a circular symbol on it made of concentric three circles. It was floating gently and it slowly drifted down towards Supergirl's left hand. "Kara Zor-El of Krypton," said a gentle voice, "You have true passion." The ring shrunk down to fit snuggly on Supergirl's finger. "Welcome to the Gold Lantern Corps."

Supergirl stared at her new accessory. "Umm, what just happened?"

. . .

Hal grimaced at the controls. "Everybody ready?" he asked. Razer and Kilowog covered their ears and nodded. Arisia and Ch'p looked at each other and shrugged simultaneously. Hal closed his eyes and pressed a button on the controls before him. Immediately, a green cube hologram popped up on the dashboard.

"Well hi there!" said the overenthusiastic navigation program known as Lanos or, more commonly, Lame-o, "What can I do for you?"

Hal sighed. Only the Guardians could come up with such a sadistic punishment as making the ridiculously happy computer AI the sole way they had of finding the rogue rings. "Lame-o, find the signatures of the nearest power rings, please."

"Well that's easy! The nearest power ring is yours, Green Lantern Hal Jordan! The next closest is the power ring of Green Lantern Recruit Arisia, followed by the Ring of Green Lantern-"

"Enough, Lame-o!" interrupted Hal, "Find the nearest power rings _that aren't on this ship_!"

"The nearest power ring belongs to Green Lantern Thaal Sinestro!"

Hal's eyes widened. "Sinestro?" He looked out the front windshield and saw a green flash in the distance. "Wonder what he's doing." He muttered before turning back to the irritating computer. "Look, Lame-o, would you just pick up the nearest ring source that isn't green, isn't blue, isn't red, isn't a star sapphire, and isn't orange?"

There was a slight whirling sound as Lame-o calculated. "The nearest ring signature that fits into the parameters of the request is on the planet Earth in Sector 2814! Should I calculate a route, sir?" Hal's jaw hit the floor.

Kilowog laughed. "Well, I've always wanted to see where you came from, Jordan! I wanna know what kind of backwater world could have produced this pozer!"

Razer smiled. "Maybe now we'll finally know why he wears a mask."

Ch'p chattered excitedly and Arisisa gave shy smile. "At least we have someone who knows their way around the planet." She pointed out.

Hal moaned. "Great, so someone on my world has access to some strange powers that they've never seen before, and I left Guy in charge? Only good things can come from this."

Arisia brightened. "Guy? Guy Guardner? Oh, he's so awesome! The way he led the charge at the Battle of the Anti-Monitor was so inspirational!" She realized that everyone was looking at her and she quickly stopped talking and blushed profusely. "At least, that's what I heard." She said quietly.

Hal turned back to the controls. "Fine, we're headed to Earth. Just don't embarrass me, okay?" He pressed a few buttons and initiated the hyperdrive.

. . .

The Aya entered the Earth's atmosphere with a skidding halt. "Dammit Lame-o!" shouted Hal as he was tossed into the windshield.

Kilowog grunted as he pushed himself off the ground. "He can never get those inertia dampeners right, can he."

Razer folded his arms. "Give him time. He will learn."

Hal peeled himself off the window and rubbed his head. "Just a few months ago, you would've blown up the ship just to destroy Lame-o over that," he said, "Looks like you earned that ring." Razer rubbed his ring, not letting it show just how much those words touched him.

Arisia looked out the windshield, Ch'p scurrying up next to her. "Wow," she said, looking down on the Earth, "It's so much bluer than Oa."

Hal climbed back into the pilot's chair. "Thank you, Lame-o, for that _terrific_ stop."

"You're welcome, Lantern Jordan!"

Hal rolled his eyes. "Can you narrow down where on Earth the ring is? I need somewhere to start."

Lame-o took a few moments before speaking again. "There are unique rings in the cities known as Metropolis, Denver, and Tallahassee!"

Hal slapped his face. "There are three rings? Wonderful."

"At least this makes it easier to look for the rings," reasoned Razer.

"Yeah, but think of all the chaos three untrained, unknown lanterns can do to a primitive planet like this." Countered Kilowog.

"Hey!" snapped Hal, "Earth isn't primitive!"

Razer cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? When did humans master interplanetary travel? Last I checked they'd only ever made it to their own moon." Arisia giggled, but was cut short by a glare from Hal.

"So much for you guys not embarrassing me. Alright, let's start with Metropolis; I've got a friend there who might be able to help us." Hal steered the Aya into a dive towards the Earth. It slipped into the atmosphere smoothly and easily and Hal turned it into a slow descent towards the ground.

There were cries of alarm as Hal set the Aya down in Centennial Park. People scattered away from the alien vessel. In the distance Hal could already hear the sirens approaching.

Kilowog opened the door and stood up. "Well, let's go find that ring."

"Easy, Kilowog," said Hal, "Let me handle the introductions." Hal stood up and flew out of the ship. The few people who had stuck around to see immediately calmed down when they saw the familiar hero. "Now," said Jordan, "Let's do this. Guys, come on out!" Kilowog, Razer, Arisisa, and Ch'p flew out of the ship to gasps of surprise and horror. Ch'p immediately ran off and clambered up a tree, chatting with a few local squirrels.

Kilowog looked around "Huh, I never figured you'd come from a wilderness planet, Jordan."

Hal punched the massive alien in the arm. "Call me Green Lantern, you moron!" Kilowog rolled his eyes but nodded.

Razer sniffed the air. "Why does it smell like Babilias?"

Hal shrugged. "I have no idea what those are." There were sudden screams of cheers of awe and Hal looked up. "Ah, here we go." Silhouetted in the sun was a tall figure with its arms crossed. As the figure descended, the famous red cape, blue tights, and vibrant S emblem became clear and defined.

Superman touched down and walked up to Hal with a smile. "Lantern! Good to see you again!"

Hal shook Superman's hand and returned the smile. "Good to see you too, Superman."

Kilowog stared in amazement. "A Kryptonian? Wow, that's…that's amazing. How are you…?"

Superman turned to the alien. "It's sort of a long story. Hi, I'm Superman." Kilowog shook his hand, his jaw still slack.

Razer stepped forward. "Greetings, Superman. I am Razer of the Blue Lantern Corps, the living coma patient here is Kilowog, and these are his trainees, Arisia and Ch'p." Arisia blinked and tried to collect herself.

"It's nice to meet you all," Said Superman, "Green Lantern has told me nothing but good things about your corps. He never mentioned that there was a Blue Lantern Corps though."

Razer shrugged. "We're new."

"So, to what does Metropolis owe the honor of your presence?" Asked Superman.

"Actually, we may need your help with something, Supes." Said Hal, putting his hand on the Kryptonian's shoulder. "There's a very dangerous item that we need to find in Metropolis."

Superman's jovial expression immediately became serious. "How dangerous are we talking?"

Hal held up his fist, showing his glowing green ring. "It's a ring like ours, but it works on a different wavelength of the emotional spectrum. We don't know exactly what it does, but if it falls into the wrong hands, it could potentially be, well, pretty bad."

Superman grimaced. "You need to find one tiny ring in Metropolis? There are almost 12,000,000 people in this city! Even with my super vision, I'm not sure if I can be any help."

"It's worth a shot." Said Hal with a shrug.

Superman thought for a moment. "Well, there hasn't been a major crime in Metropolis for a while. I guess I can help."

. . .

Kara was in her apartment. It was paid for by her cousin and was littered with human paraphernalia that Kara used to learn about human culture. Now however, she was sitting on her bed, examining her new ring. She had tried taking it off, but it was too tight and seemed not to want to leave her finger.

"C'mon!" she grunted as she rubbed her finger. "Get off!" She sighed and collapsed on the bed. She turned over at stared at a 'Save the Whales' poster on her wall. She closed her eyes and thought about a conversation she'd once had with Aquaman. He told her about the plight of the whales and the vicious hunting that was cutting down there numbers.

There was a soft call in her ear and she opened her eyes a crack to see a small, golden whale swimming above her. She shot up in bed, staring at the construct. She stared at the whale and slowly raised her hand in a fist. As she brought her ring to eye level, gold light began to pour out it and swirl around, forming a strange lantern shape. In almost a trance, Kara raised her hand and put her ring into the lantern and closed her eyes. "On burning earth," she whispered, "Or in flaming skies, no cruel act will be our demise. Let those who want to deny our rights, look into our eyes," Kara opened her eyes. They had gone from blue to a vibrant gold. "See our passionate light." She finished with a whisper. She blinked as the trance slowly faded from her mind and she looked down at herself. "Well," she said, admiring her new, golden outfit, "This is badass. Confusing and a little scary, but badass."


	3. Coincidence

Same disclaimers as before

Chapter 3: Coincidence

Sinestro gave the flaming planet a wide berth. Every few seconds, a jet of fire broke through the atmosphere and scorched into space before it sputtered out from lack of oxygen. With a grimace, Sinestro flew down towards the planet surface. As he descended, it grew hotter and hotter. He quickly activated his shield and made a fan with his ring.

As he got close to the surface, a magnificent, gothic, towering temple caught his eyes. Sinestro flew towards it apprehensively, wondering what could be so terrifying that even the Guardians were afraid of it. He got his answer when he pushed open the massive doors to the colossal, black, jagged building. Inside was a room that could have hosted the entire Green Lantern Corps, excepting Mogo of course. At the back of the room, silhouetted against a window of fire, was a giant of a man with grey, rocky skin and blue battle armor. The being was looking away, into the fire, his hands folded behind his back.

Slowly, the being turned to face Sinestro. He had glowing red eyes and a cruel smirk. "Ah, a Green Lantern." He said with a gravelly, deep voice. "Why should I let you leave alive?"

Sinestro raised his hands in surrender. "I'm just looking for a lost artifact." He glanced at the monster's hands. Neither of them had a ring on any finger. "Clearly it isn't here. I'll just be going then."

The beast stared at him for a moment before turning back to fire. "Darkseid has better things to do than deal with you." Sinestro quickly flew out of the chamber and shot back into the planet's stratosphere. He hesitated before moving on to the next target. This Darkseid was intimidating, for sure, but Sinestro didn't feel afraid of him. The yellow ring of fear was definitely not on Apokolips.

. . .

"Rise, Komand'r!" Cried the Warlord, "Rise and fight!" The Tamaranean princess rose, panting and clutching her arm. She glared at the Warlord that she was sparing with. He raised his staff and twirled it expertly. "You are weak!" he declared, smashing the weapon on the ground inches from her feet, "And not just because of your deformity. I have seen those like you who had twice the courage and skills you have!" Komand'r feebly raised her own staff to block an incoming attack. She parried successfully and gave herself a mental pat on the back for her victory. Her internal celebration was cut short as the Warlord spun in midair and feinted left. She tried to repeat her parry, but the Warlord twisted and slammed his staff into Komand'r's back. She grunted in pain as the thick rod shattered over her orange skin, now brown with bruises.

Komand'r stumbled for a bit before her legs fell out from under her and she collapsed with a groan. The Warlord shook his head in disappointment. "You keep falling for the same techniques while relying so much on the same moves." He tossed the splintered end of his staff into the ground next to Komand'r's face. "Come with me." Komand'r struggled to stand up, but eventually managed it.

She was training in a large stadium on the planet Okaara, home to the great Warlords, trainers of the Tamaranean warriors. The Warlord she was currently training with waved her over to the side of the room and she hobbled over. "Koriand'r!" barked the Warlord. Immediately, the doors to the room flew open and the beautiful Tamaranian floated into the room.

Komand'r groaned in humiliation. "Is this truly necessary, master?" she asked exasperatedly.

The Warlord slapped her upside the head with his large, meaty hand. "Your _little_ sister is twice the warrior you are! Maybe a few rounds with her will cause some of her talent and skill to rub off on you!" he yelled. He tossed Koriand'r a fresh staff and pushed Komand'r back into the arena.

Koriand'r bowed respectfully. "It is an honor to have you as a sparring partner, sister." She said excitedly. Komand'r simply snarled and lashed at her. Her technique was flawless, spinning and manipulating her staff as one who had spent years studying combat would. She ignored the aches and pains her body felt as she contorted to throw complex attacks at her sister. Yet, despite her brilliant display of combat, not a single blow met its mark. Each time her staff thrust forward, Koriand'r simply flew up or to the side to dodge it. Komand'r growled and jumped up, hoping to catch her sister by surprise with a blow from above. She raised her staff high and brought it down hard only to hit air as Koriand'r twirled sideways.

Komand'r landed off balance and her sister pounced. Koriand'r shot forward, shoving her staff between Komand'r's legs. Komand'r tripped over and fell to the ground with a harsh slam. The Warlord sighed. "Koriand'r wins, again." He said under his breath.

Koriand'r held out her hand to her sister. Komand'r slapped it away. "I can do it." She muttered, pushing herself up, rubbing her new bruises. Koriand'r gave her a sympathetic smile before turning to the Warlord and bowing.

"Dismissed, Koriand'r." he said, waving her off.

"Thank you, master." Koriand'r flew out of the arena to continue her own training. The Warlord walked forward to Komand'r.

For a moment, he looked at her with a sad, soft expression. Then, his face hardened and he leaned down to yell in her face. "You are a miserable little maggot! You're so obsessed with technique that you leave yourself no room for flexibility or improvisation! And even then you stick with the same routine that anyone can read you like a book!" Komand'r flinched as the Warlord took a breath. "You are weak!" he screamed, "And you have the gall to blame it on your disability!" He knelt down and grabbed her shoulders, staring her in the face. "Your strength comes not from the stars, Tamaranean!" he yelled, "They come from your emotions! You are so focused on the logistics of combat that you have no heart for it! Come!" he dragged her over to the doors and flung them open, knocking them off their hinges. The next room was filled with lasers and deadly obstacles, both on the ground and floating in the air. Koriand'r was flying deftly through the course, her hair a flaming streak behind her as the lasers fired at random as she wove between obstacles. "She is as nimble as the wind itself!" declared the Warlord proudly, "One of my best students! You!" he turned to her, his eyes burning, "You bring shame to our training!"

Komand'r grit her teeth and bowed low. "Sorry, master, I will try harder."

The Warlord sighed. "That's the problem, Komand'r, you try too hard." He rubbed the bridge of his nose and waved her off. "Go rest, you are done for the day. Think about how you can improve your work."

Komand'r left the arena and walked to her barracks. They were empty; everyone else would still be in training. She sat on her cot and glared across the aisle at her sister's bed. She could already hear Koriand'r's incessant gossip and chatter with their fellow trainees, all of them gathered around her bed while Komand'r tried to sleep and heal her wounds for the next day.

"Everything," muttered Komand'r, "She has everything." It was true. Ever since her birth, Komand'r had been shunned for her lack of ability to fly or absorb ultra-violet light like the rest of her species. It had only gotten worse since Koriand'r had been born. Suddenly, her parents had a healthy, normal child, one not marked by tragedy and disfigurement. A true and proper heir to the Tameranean throne. Koriand'r had friends because of her sparkling personality and outgoing habits. Komand'r was left alone; people feared her condition may be contagious. Koriand'r was the most promising heir. Komand'r had been ignored ever since there was somebody more eligible than her. It wasn't fair!

With a grunt of anger, Komand'r punched her bed, causing it to collapse. She groaned and fell to her knees. Tears began to streak down her face like shooting stars. It wasn't fair! Why did Koriand'r get everything? Why was she born full of talent and luck?

Komand'r lay down on her broken bed. She crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes. There was a loud crack and she jumped up.

The bunker was actually underground, buried several miles below the planet surface and was domed by a solid metal ceiling. Now, however, the ceiling was cracking and splintering. Komand'r gasped and backed away as a large section of the ceiling crumbled and fell where she had been lying. She looked up and saw a bright, bronze light float down from the hole in the roof. She stood battle-ready, prepared to fight this menace. The light faded and Komand'r saw that it came from a small, glowing ring. The ring gently flew down and, before she could react, it slipped onto her finger.

"Komand'r of Tamaran," said a soft voice in her head, "You deserve better." Komand'r stared with wide eyes as the glowing ring pulsed. "Welcome to the Bronze Lantern Corps."

. . .

Five Lanterns and a Kryptonian flew over Metropolis, each seeking the same thing. Arisia was flying through the surrounding suburbs of Metropolis, her ring scanning for significant emotional energy. Kilowog was handling the slums while Razer surveyed Chinatown. Ch'p had wanted to look through the park, but Hal had been worried that the squirrel-like alien would spend more time chatting with his new friends than looking for the ring, so he was combing the park while Ch'p flew through Downtown. Above them all, Superman drifted above his city, his eyes darting through streets and buildings for the ring.

After nearly three hours of searching, the sun was gently setting on the horizon. Hal's ring lit up and he smiled excitedly. His hopes were dash when he saw it was just a call from Kilowog. "What's up, buddy?" sighed, Kilowog's face appearing as a holographic construct, "You find it?"

"No," said Kilowog, "And neither did any of the others. I'm starting to think that maybe we should wait for whoever got the ring to use it."

"No," said Hal firmly, "We can't run that risk. It could be someone unfriendly. I won't let people be put in danger because we were too lazy to keep looking."

"I agree." Hal looked up to see Superman falling down to meet him, "But this could take ages. Are you sure there isn't a faster way?"

Hal shrugged. "I could grab the Flash, but I doubt even he could find it any faster."

Superman smiled. "Oh, he could. But it would still take a while." Suddenly, he frowned and his eyes widened. "I think I found your lantern. C'mon!" He shot off towards the sun.

Hal flew after him. "Everyone converge on my position!" he called into his ring, "We found it!" He followed Superman for only a minute before he saw what the man of steel had seen. On the outskirts of the city, a massive woman the size of a skyscraper stood thigh-deep in the river. She was swinging and swatting angrily at a flying figure.

"Giganta!" snarled Superman, lunging forward. He delivered a fierce uppercut to the woman's chin, knocking her back. The figure she was fighting flew behind her and a large, green baseball bat construct formed behind her knees, sending her tumbling into the water. He quickly formed massive handcuffs and wrapped them around Giganta's wrists.

Hal flew down to join them. He leveled his ring at the new lantern. "Who are you?" He demanded.

The figure turned, revealing a tall, African-American man. He put his hands up in surrender. "Um, name's John Stewart, Green Lantern."

Hal lowered his ring. "Oh, um, sorry." He raised his ring to his mouth, "False alarm, guys, it's one of ours."

"Too late," said a voice and Hal turned to see the entire team flying down towards him, "We're already here." Finished Razer.

Hal turned back to John Stewart. "So, you're the new Lantern for Earth, huh?"

John held out his hand and Hal took it. "Yep," said John, "You must be Hal Jordan. Guy told me about you."

Hal sighed. "Let me guess, he told you I was a stick-in-the-mud, no-good, embarrassment to the Corps?"

John blinked. "Um, no, actually, he told me you were the bravest lantern in the whole Corps and the most courageous warrior he had ever seen."

Hal's eyes widened with shock. "Huh, well there may be hope for him yet."

Superman flew forward. "What are you doing in my city, John?"

"Just helping where I can, I suppose."

Razer snickered in Kilowog's ear and they both sniggered, an act not unnoticed by Hal. "What's so funny?"

Razer motioned to John. "I see he does not fear to show his face, Jordan." Indeed, John didn't have Hal's mask.

The new lantern shrugged. "I don't really have anyone who would recognize me or could be put in harms way because of it."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Offered Arisia and Ch'p chattered in agreement. John simply shrugged. Behind them, there came a sound like shattering glass. As one, they all turned and looked to see Giganta break free of her construct bonds and push herself up in the river.

Superman crouched, ready to launch himself at the villainess. "I got this. You guys keep looking for the ring." Giganta stood up and Superman charged. This time, however, Giganta was ready for hm. She grabbed him deftly from the air, and before he could react, she threw him into the river and stomped him into the water.

"Ouch!" muttered Kilowog with a grimace.

"Kal!" came a cry. Everyone looked up and Hal gasped. A girl was flying down towards them. She wore a golden skirt and boots and a white top with a golden shield of Superman on her chest. Instead of an S, however, the shield held three concentric circles. Flowing behind her was a cape made of shimmering gold. Perhaps most surprising was the small, golden ring on her finger.

The girl shot down below and splashed into the water. A few moments later, Giganta gasped and stumbled as a massive, golden soda can emerged from under her foot. The girl shot out the water her arms folded as the can disappeared. "Do you know how much pollution there is in that river?" she demanded, "Waaaaaaaaaaaay too much."

Superman flew out of the water, his eyes wide. "Kara? What – "

"Cool, huh!" said the girl, flashing her ring with a smile, "Came to me yesterday." Giganta started to rise again. Kilowog flew over to her and brought a constructed hammer down on her head. She sank down with a groan, drawing Kara's attention. She saw the beast-like alien and leveled her ring at him. "Hey! Who're you?"

Hal flew forward and raised his hands. "Um, listen. You have something of ours and we need it back."

Kara turned to him and a ray of golden light blasted out her ring and hit him square in the chest. Hal flew back and Razor caught him. Kara raised her hand to her mouth. "Oh! Green Lantern! I'm sorry, you scared me." Ch'p sot forward and latched himself to Kara's face and scrambled over her as she screamed.

"Ch'p!" called Hal, "Wait!" Arisia flew past him, her fist pulled back. Ch'p scooted out of the way just in time for Arisia to form a boxing glove construct around her hand and smash it into Kara's face. The Gold Lantern went flying down into the river, landing with a grunt on Giganta's stomach, causing the massive criminal to gasp in pain.

Arisia shot forward for another strike, but Kilowog formed a massive shield around Kara. "STAND DOWN, POZER!" he roared. Arisia whimpered and her construct disassembled. Ch'p shot off of Kara's face and gave Kilowog a sheepish salute. Kilowog just glared at the tiny alien.

Superman sighed and John shook his head with a smiled as Razer helped Hal down to Kara. "Damn," muttered Hal, "That gold packs a punch. What's it powered by?"

Kara held up her hand. "Um, passion I think. Sorry about hitting you."

"Sorry our trainees attacked you." Said Hal, glaring back at the two embarrassed students.

Superman flew down to join them. "Green Lantern," John flew down and Superman shot him a glance. "Um, Green Lanterns, meet my cousin; Supergirl."

Kilowog's jaw dropped. "Another Kryptonian? Tomar Re'll go into a coma when he hears this!"

Razer cocked an eyebrow. "Perhaps there is hope for the species."

Kara quickly backed away, waving her hands in protest. "Oh! Oh no! We would never…"

Superman laughed. "He's joking, Kara." He said, "I think."

"So listen, Supergirl," said Hal, "We need that ring."

Supergirl held it up, its golden light pulsing slightly. "Why?"

"It's dangerous and unstable. It's a prototype design and needs to be contained." Answered Kilowog.

Supergirl stared at it longingly. "But I can do so much good with it!" she protested.

Superman put his hand on her shoulder. "You have power enough to help others." He said, "I'm proud of you for wanting to help people, but you don't need a special ring to do that."

With a sigh, Supergirl grasped the ring and pulled hard to no avail. She looked around for help and Hal leaned forward, making a vise construct to grasp the ring and slide it gently off her finger. "Sometimes, it just needs a lantern's touch." He said with a smile. Supergirl's clothes flashed briefly and became red and blue. Her shield once again became a familiar red S. Hal dropped the ring in his hand and enclosed a small bubble around it. "Well, we're done here."

Superman nodded. "It was good to see you again, Lantern, and it was good to meet some of your Corps." He turned to John, "I suggest you keep out of Metropolis. C'mon, Kara." With that, the Kryptonians flew off toward the city.

John turned to the other Lanterns. "It was good to meet you, Mr. Jordan."

Hal held out his hand and John shook it. With that, John flew in the opposite direction of Superman. As he disappeared over the horizon, the gold ring started to flash and pulse.

"Quick!" said Razer, "Get it back to the Aya! It's looking for a new host! We need to put it into quarantine!"

The group started to fly towards the park, but Kilowog stopped Arisia and Ch'p. "I got words for the two of you." He said with a growl. The two trainees gulped audibly.

. . .

Hal put the ring in a small, green vial and the pulses slowly stopped.

"Well done, Lantern Jordan!" said Lame-o happily.

Razer groaned. "Where did you say the other rings were, Lame-o?"

"Denver and Tallahasee! Why, Blue Lantern Razer?"

Razer turned to Hal. "Do you know where those places are?" Hal nodded. "Then remove him."

"Remove who?" Asked Lame-o, just as Hal ripped out the nav computer's core from the hard drive. The holographic cube at the controls faded away and both lanterns sighed in sweet relief. "That's better." Said Razer.

Kilowog and the two trainees entered the Aya and took their seats. "You guys took your time," said Hal, "What did you do?"

Arisia and Ch'p shivered and Kilowog grinned evilly. "Oh, just some disciplinary training." He said, "Nothing important."

Hal cocked an eyebrow but let it be. He pulled the Aya into a vertical ascent until the ship was well over the tallest building in Metropolis. "Next stop: Denver." He muttered and the ship shot forwards.


	4. Strange Weather

Same disclaimers as before. Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter 4: Strange Weather

Detective John Jones, nee J'onn J'onzz, stared into his coffee, black as always. Every day, he woke up, went down the street, and ordered the same large drink. The café he frequented roasted the beans in front of him so he could be sure that it was fresh. The smell and flavor reminded him of the Harabashi plant on Mars.

He was currently seated at a small table outside. It was a windy day, but warm. John drank his coffee in silence, enjoying the flood of memories that came with every sip. But when his lips left the edge of the cardboard cup, reality smashed him in the face.

"You really shouldn't do this to yourself, J'onn." He said to himself with a sigh.

"Do what to yourself?" J'onn glanced up to see his partner seating himself across the table.

J'onn pushed the coffee away from himself. "Nothing."

His partner cocked an eyebrow. "Thinking about an ex?"

J'onn thought of his wife, of his child. Both of them were long since dead. "Something like that."

"Anyway, down to business," said his partner, folding his arms, "The sting last night went down like a charm. We've got ten guys in the precinct right now." He hesitated, "We got them on the smuggling rap, but it would really help if we could get them to confess to the murders as well."

J'onn sighed and stood up. "I'm a detective, Smythe, not an interrogator."

Smythe stood and followed J'onn as he walked towards the parking garage that held his car. "Oh, c'mon, Jones!" he said exasperatedly, "The families of the victims want justice! And nobody can crack a guy like you! Please, for the sake of the deceased."

J'onn stopped and sighed. He really had been meaning to quit using his telepathy; humans found it unnerving and intrusive. But Smythe was right, justice must be served. "Fine. Meet me at the precinct in an hour." J'onn walked on while Smythe did a silent victory dance on the sidewalk.

J'onn closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The smells of Denver were so different from Mars, but then, all of Earth was almost the exact opposite. Mars had been red and dusty, a total constant filled with order and peace. Earth was colorful and violent and chaotic. Which is not to say J'onn didn't like it, far from it, but no planet could replace the people he'd lost.

J'onn's car was a used hunk of metal he'd gotten when he'd first come to Earth 15 years ago. It drove like a tank, handled like a snowplow, and made a Hummer look like a hybrid, but it got him from A to B.

J'onn had just pulled out of the garage when something shot through the roof of his car. Having been on a police force for ten years, in hiding for five before that, alone for three before that, and at war for nearly 30 before that, J'onn immediately assumed he was being fired upon and he put his foot to the floor. The tires squealed as the car shot down streets, dodging and swerving to avoid traffic.

After almost ten minutes of driving like a mad man, J'onn was satisfied he wasn't being followed. He took a deep breath and pulled into a parking spot to calm down. He glanced into the backseat and his eyes widened. Floating behind him was an orb of pulsating light. J'onn turned in his seat and slowly reached out towards the sphere. As he did so, he gently morphed his hand back into its true, Martian form. As his green fingers encircled the light, it suddenly retracted into a ring and zoomed onto his finger. J'onn quickly pulled his finger back and stared at the ring. It had a strange design to it; two triangles facing each other, their tips intersecting to make a small diamond.

"J'onn J'onzz of Mars," said a voice in his head, "You are alone in the universe, one of a kind. Welcome to the Gray Lantern Corps." For a moment, J'onn simply stared in shock at his hand. Finally, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed his partner's number without even looking.

"Smythe?" he said, "Start without me, I'll be late."

. . .

Sinestro stared. He was floating in the cold depths of space and before him was a monster frozen in the vacuum. The creature was truly massive, covered in sinew and muscles. Bone spiked out its skin around the joints and small bones covered its eyes. From each knuckle protruded a foot-long spiked bone. It would have been an impressive specimen and challenging opponent were it not completely frozen by the cold and its insides not rearranged by the force of the vacuum.

Sinestro gently knocked the floating creature on the head, changing its trajectory. "Nobody home, hmm?" He rolled his eyes and looked around. No yellow ring here. "Doomsday." He muttered to himself as he flew off, "Name doesn't really fit, does it."

. . .

Hal watched out the windshield as the country went by. "So, what do you guys think of my world so far?"

"The people are simple, their technology millennia behind where it should be, and the planet itself is rank with pollution." Said Razer, "But the existence of people like you and those Kryptonians make me believe there is hope for this 'Earth' yet."

"Um, thanks, I think. Kilowog?"

The giant alien shrugged. "Eh, it's pretty boring if you ask me. The oceans aren't even made of acid, just water plain old water."

Hal stared at his friend. "And that's a bad thing because?"

Kilowog threw up his hands in despair. "At least on Zamaron you had a fifty-fifty chance of getting into a fight with a Star Saphire! Here, it's like you have to try to get into a fight!"

"What!" exclaimed Hal, "What about that fight with Giganta in Metropolis!"

"You must be joking." Said Razer, spinning in his chair to face Hal, "It took two Kryptonians and a rookie Green Lantern to bring her to her knees in less than a minute."

"Yeah, but…she was tough!" protested Hal.

"In my system, the most dangerous thing is Karu-Sil." Offered Arisia, "But she's never come to Graxos IV."

"Karu-Sil? Never heard of her." Said Kilowog.

"Oh, really? In the Graxos system, she's the most feared criminal who ever lived. She was raised by beasts on Graxos III. My Uncle Blish tried to bring her to Graxos IV to try to heal her, but she ended up killing dozens of people and Uncle Blish re-exiled her back to Graxos III." Ch'p grunted next to her and she glared at him. "Hey! She was a cold-blooded killer!" Ch'p folded his tiny arms over his chest.

"You can understand him?" Said Razer.

Arisia stared at him. "You can't?"

"Our rings can translate any language, but they can't slow down speech." Said Kilowog, "You've no idea how hard it is to train someone who's used to speaking at 300 words a minute."

"Huh," said Arisia, "Well, Graxoan goes by pretty fast. I guess I can just process his speech faster. Anyway, he says that on his world, there's a diabolical villain named Doctor Ub'x who declared war on the planet and killed thousands."

"Are we really debating how dangerous our planets are based on the best serial killers?" asked Hal in amazement and disappointment.

"If we are, than I win," said Razer, "My planet was decimated by a vicious civil war. The Grand Warlord is said to have killed millions in his time before we revolted, and the war killed millions more."

"Now hold on a second here," argued Kilowog, "My world is gone! The entire planet was destroyed!"

"Can we not do this?" protested Hal, "Just appreciate that we're one ring down and the next ones should be just as easy. This is a very important mission and the easier, the faster, the better."

"Agreed," muttered Razer, "How far are we from this 'Denver' place?"

Hal pressed a few buttons and pulled up a holographic map of the planet. He zoomed in on the Rocky Mountains and narrowed his eyes as he tracked the progress of the Aya. "Only about ten minutes at this speed. Nothing to worry about, Razer." Just as he spoke, an explosion rocked the ship.

"You were saying?" growled Kilowog. A figure slammed into the windshield and skid off.

"Hey! I know her!" cried Hal. He jumped up and ran out of the bridge.

"Jordan!" cried Kilowog, "Oh for the love of-" he sighed and slapped his forehead, "Arisia! Take the ship!" Razer, Ch'p, and Kilowog flew out.

"But-but I don't know how to fly this thing!" she shouted after them, "Not alone!"

Hal flew out of the Aya and made a giant catcher's mitt to catch the falling figure. He drifted down to her level as she recovered her balance. "Hi!" he said, "Hawkgirl, right?"

"Yeah," she muttered, rubbing her head, "And you're Green Lantern. I heard about your work in Coast City, good stuff."

"Thanks. Need a hand?" Hawkgirl spread her wings and jumped into the air. As Hal retracted his construct, Hawkgirl pointed to the sky. Hal looked up and his jaw dropped. The sky was slowly being covered in a swirling black cloud, raining down thunder and lightning upon the Earth. "Umm, what is that?" he asked.

Hawkgirl twirled her mace. "Weather Wizard," she muttered.

"Jordan!" Hal turned to see Kilowog, Razer, and Ch'p flying down towards him.

Hawkgirl's eyes widened. "A Bolovak Vixian? It's an honor." She gave a slight bow.

"Hah!" barked Kilowog, folding his arms, "It's good to be back in the company of an honorable Thanagarian! What can we do to help?" Hawkgirl pointed and everyone turned to see a large, floating metal orb slowly weaving through the mountains. It was surrounded by a wide force field of powerful wind and rain.

"Weather Wizard is causing this storm to hold the world hostage. He's locked himself in there. I tried to get in, but those winds are moving faster than an F5 tornado. If some of you can go break up that storm, than Lantern and I can get to Weather Wizard."

Kilowog nodded. "You heard the lady!" he cried, "Move out!" They flew off, rings raised and scooping clouds out like ice cream.

"C'mon!" called Hawkgirl, flying towards the orb.

Hal followed her. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"You give me a shield against the storm," she said, "And I'll take it from there." Hal raised his ring and made a bubble around Hawkgirl. She gave him a quick salute in thanks and shot forward. The wind buffeted the bubble as it hit the force field, but Hal grit his teeth and kept the bubble steady. Hawkgirl got close to the orb and raised her mace. It cackled with electric life and she slammed it down, tearing the flying fortress like tin foil. Two quick strikes later and Weather Wizard's inner sanctum was ripped open.

"Dammit!" grunted the villain as Hawkgirl grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"It's over, Wizard!" she growled.

"Maybe," he said with a shrug. He raised his arm and flicked his wand out of his sleeve. Before Hawkgirl could react, he blasted her with a beam of snow and cold. She cried out and fell back. Hal caught her and raised his ring at Weather Wizard. He shot a beam of green light and the Wizard's wand flew out of his hand, falling hundreds of feet to the planet surface. "Oh, come on." Sighed Weather Wizard.

Hal smiled and made a green fist construct. He slammed the Weather Wizard against the wall of his sanctum, knocking him out cold. As he lost consciousness, the windy force field around his vessel faded away. "You alright, Hawkgirl?" Hal helped Hawkgirl shake off the thin layer off frost.

"Fine, fine," she said with a shiver. They felt a sudden heat and looked up. The storm clouds were splitting apart, encouraged by the lanterns, revealing the sun. Hawkgirl shook her wings and felt heat returning to her body as the sun warmed it. "Good work, Lantern. I'll get Weather Wizard to the authorities. You and your friends go back to…whatever it was you were doing."

Hal shrugged. "Oh, just searching the planet for three high dangerous and unstable weapons that could cause mass panic and chaos. We need to find them before an almighty force of evil recharges his power and attempts to destroy the universe."

Hawkgirl stared at him and shouldered her mace. "Right, um, have fun with that. Best of luck."

"You too." Hawkgirl flew forward, grabbing Weather Wizard from his ship and tossing him over her back before dropping towards the surface and out of sight. The other lanterns floated down to join Hal.

"See!" cried Kilowog, "That took, what, thirty seconds tops? This planet is sooooo boring!"

Hal sighed and rubbed his temples. "Look, let's just get back to the ship. We're almost to Denver."

"Where is the Aya, anyway?" asked Razor.

Behind them, the Aya shakily fell through the air. "Somebody! Help!" cried Arisia from the bridge.

. . .

"Again!" Komand'r grit her teeth and tried to pushed herself up. There was not a single cell in her body that wasn't screaming in pain. She almost got up to her elbows, but she slipped and landed with a grunt on the hard ground. "I said again!" shouted the Warlord. Behind him, a large host of Warlords sat in the stands, muttering to each other in disappointment.

Komand'r turned her head. Koriand'r was leaning over her with her hand outstretched, ready to help her up. With a growl, Komand'r knocked her sister's hand away.

"I-I was only trying to help." Said Koriand'r, confused and hurt.

Komand'r pushed herself up, her pain slowly transforming into determination. "Always trying," she muttered, "I always try, but is it ever good enough? No, never." Her hands squeezed into fists and her ring blazed, bathing her body in bronze light. The Warlords became silent and stared in fear and awe at the strange light. "I'm always putting everything I have into everything I do, but you, you just have to fly around and smile and suddenly you get all the praise, just because you can do something I can't"

Koriand'r stared at her sister. "Komand'r, are you alright? What's that light?"

Komand'r grinned. "I'm better than ever, sister, and this light is my justice." She began walking forward at a slow pace. "From now on, I'm getting everything I ever deserved. The throne, respect, power, I deserve it all. I've worked hard to get where I am, but I deserve more. I deserve everything you have!" As she finished, Komand'r shot a beam of bronze light at her sister, flinging the younger Tamaranean across the room.

The Warlords stood up and began to protest angrily. "Stand down, Komand'r!" called her trainer. Komand'r ignored them. She closed her eyes and held out her hand. From her ring emerged a bronze lantern and her eyes snapped open, glowing a deep, tan bronze.

"You kept what I want," she recited, "You took what I need. My power stems not from lust or greed. To those who oppose me; hear my creed: by my jealous light," she turned to the Warlords and grinned, "I'll make you bleed."

. . .

Please review!

I had to re-upload some of the previous chapters the fix some spelling mistakes and continuity errors.


	5. Three Rings and a Bat

**Same declaimers as before. Thanks for the reviews!**

**Okay, so, I'm not gonna lie, it's going to get a bit depressing for the next few chapters. But that was kinda to be expected. I mean, we have Sinestro searching for the yellow ring of fear; Komand'r (Blackfire to fans of Teen Titans) now has the bronze ring of jealousy; and we still have a few more rings to give out before I can start building up to the grand finale. So fair warning, there will be some graphic stuff in the chapters ahead, but I'll try to keep it as cannon as possible. I'll try to get the depressing stuff over with asap, but I feel like these parts are going to be important for the overall story. **

**Also, just a heads up, this chapter will move away from Hal and the others for the most part, but the next chapter will be almost exclusively about them.**

**As for some of your requests, I'll try to honor all of them (p.s. nina, thanks for the heads up; I did post this as T for violence, not language. I'll try to keep it as civil as possible, considering the subject matter) **

Chapter 5: Three Rings and a Bat

Evan rocked back and forth in his rocking chair. His porch was dilapidated and falling apart around him, but he didn't care.

His eyes were closed and his head was leaning back, letting the sun fall on his face through a hole in the porch roof. Across the street, there was a resounding bang. Evan opened one eye and glanced at the two men running out of the suburban house. One of them held a black gun. A car screeched around the corner and skid to a stop at the curb where the men ran. They quickly got in and the man in the passenger seat leaned out the window at Evan.

"Hey!" Evan raised an eyebrow, "You didn't see nothing!" Evan shrugged and closed his eyes. He didn't care. The car screamed off into the distance while Evan continued to rock.

A few hours later, a yellow school bus pulled up to Evan's house and the doors opened. Out jumped a small, young girl with a pink backpack and torn jeans. Evan didn't open his eyes as she walked up the porch steps. "Hey kid," He said, "Another fight at

school today?"

The girl glared at him. "What do you care?"

"I don't," he said with a sigh. He opened his eyes and leaned forward in the seat, causing the rotting wooden planks to creak beneath him. "But if you keep getting in trouble at school, social services will take you away."

The girl threw her backpack into the house and sat on the porch steps, wrapping her arms around her legs. "He was asking for it."

"I know," Evan said, "I know and I don't care. Don't get in fights." The girl grumbled and went inside.

Evan closed his eyes and leaned back. "Oh, and call the police. I think someone was killed in the house across the street."

"Again?" the girl called from inside the house. Evan sighed and yawned. He felt a heavy weight fall on his forehead and he opened his eyes. He raised his hand and pulled from his forehead a small, glowing orb. As he watched, the light slowly faded and revealed a gently pulsing silver ring.

"Evan Michaels of Earth," said a soft voice in his head, "You do not care. Welcome to the Silver Lantern Corps." The ring flew up and slid down on his finger. Evan stared at it for a few moments, and then shrugged.

"Whatever." He closed his eyes and leaned back, rocking gently in his chair.

. . .

Sinestro cocked an eyebrow and stared down at the Earth. This was Hal Jordan's home planet? Jordan was a great lantern, but he was a rare exception. How could a human possibly inspire fear that even the Guardians felt? He shrugged and flew down towards the planet surface.

The city he was directed towards was dark and stormy. Sinestro flashed through the city searching for his target. He searched for hours on end. The sky never darkened or lit up, it simply continued to rain and thunder. Sinsetro snarled in annoyance as he floated down to a rooftop.

"Are you done looking for me?" Sinestro swung around and faced an empty rooftop, his ring raised. Lightning flashed and Sinestro saw a shadow flitter across the roof. He blasted where the shadow was with a beam of solid, green light.

"I am Thaal Sinestro, Green Lantern of sector 1417! Reveal yourself!" The shadows twisted in the lightning and the shadow of an imposing figure fell over him. Sinesto swung around and formed a giant plasma gun. Behind him, a man stood still on the edge of the roof. He wore a grey suit with a black cape and cowl. On his chest was a jagged, black emblem. Sinestro stared at him for a moment and burst out laughing. "The Guardians are afraid of _you_?" he exclaimed. The constructed plasma gun vanished as Sinestro clutched his stomach in laughter.

The man narrowed his eyes behind his cowl. "Are you done?"

Sinestro rolled his eyes. "I suppose it's a mute point now, but let me see your hands." The figure slowly raised his hands, covered in black gloves. Sinestro glanced over them and saw no bulge that could be a ring. He snorted. "A human inspire fear? To other humans maybe, but not to a Green Lantern. What is your name human?"

The human wrapped his cape around himself. "Batman."

"Well, Batman," faster than the human could blink, Sinestro formed a tight ring around his neck and lifted him up into the air. Tentacles of light wrapped around his limbs and immobilized him before he could reach for his utility belt. Batman put up a brief struggle before stopping and remaining still. Sinestro gently flew up and hovered before the helpless human.

"This feeling?" he hissed, "This sense of vulnerability? That is fear, Batman, that is what keeps you from acting. You cannot struggle because you are hopeless; you have lost without a fight." Sinestro dropped the human who landed on the rooftop with a silent crouch.

"You're wrong," he said, brushing dust off of his cape, "Fear is what tells us we're alive. It makes us cautious and keeps us in the land of the living. It doesn't keep us from acting, it inspires us to."

Sinestro shrugged. "You say that, but I'm the one who put you in a full-body lock. The fear I can inspire could but you in a mental ward. You'd have nightmares for the rest of your life." As he spoke, green mist poured out of his ring, bathing the rooftop in a green fog. From the smoke, green constructs of fierce alien creatures surrounded Batman and hissed in his ears. The man didn't move. Sinestro floated out of the fog with his arms crossed. "You see? You're frozen in place." Just as the words left his mouth, Batman grabbed a hidden, strange knife from his belt and tossed it at Sinestro. The lantern raised a green shield and the knife embedded itself in the construct.

"Fear didn't make me freeze up," said Batman, "It made me wait fro the time to strike." The knife he threw began to beep and Sinestro frowned just as the explosion threw him from the rooftop. He caught himself and steadied his flight, turning quickly to face the fog covered roof. He waved his hand and the fog dispersed, sucking back into the ring. Batman was nowhere to be seen. Sinestro scowled and shot off into the atmosphere, satisfied that the yellow ring of fear wasn't on Earth.

. . .

It had taken all of one day for Komand'r to force the Okaaran Warlords to their knees in surrender. The Tameranean cadets were the first to fall. Komand'r had felt some guilt at having to bring down her own species, but when they gathered behind her sister in an assault against her, she lost all regrets and brought them down without mercy.

The Warlords had been a little more difficult; they were used to fighting enemies more powerful than them, but their skills were paltry in comparison to the power that the bronze ring gave Komand'r.

Currently, the entire population of the planet: the Warlords, the Tameranean trainees, and the few villages of the jungle world, were all packed into the main arena of the Warlord's training city. Komand'r sat on a bronze throne and floated gently over her new subjects. Behind her, her Warlord trainer knelt on a floating bronze disk with chains made of light criss-crossing over his body.

"I'm thinking I'll start with Tameran," she thought aloud, "But I think I'll keep Okaara as my homeworld. Tameran was never my true home. You!" she pointed at a young Tameranean who was kneeling below her.

He jumped up and gulped nervously. "Y-yes, my queen?"

Komand'r floated out of her throne and flew in a tight circle. "Is flying this fun for everyone?"

"Yes, my queen."

"Mmm, no wonder you people like it so much. Still," she flew back to her throne and settled into it, "That's no excuse for how you treated me." The young Tameranean quickly get back on his knees. Komand'r piloted her throne up towards the cavernous ceiling, her former trainer following her wordlessly. She turned her throne to face her chained prisoner. "Where is my sister?" The Warlord glared at her silently. She gave a small smiled and raised her ring, pulling the chains uncomfortably tight. "I said-"

"I heard what you said!" yelled the Warlord, gasping for air, "Your sister is the best student I've ever had and you shame her!"

Komand'r gave a soft sigh. "You do realize," she said, a bronze spike growing out of her ring, a poignant threat, "It's that kind of talk that got me this power in the first place. And now that I have this power," the spike rose away from her ring and hovered between the Warlord's eyes, "That kind of talk only makes me stronger."

"I regret nothing!" snarled the Warlord.

Komand'r grinned. "I know." She stood up and looked down upon her subjects. "Listen up!" she shouted, her voice resonating around the room, "If anyone knows where my sister is, they better tell me now. If nobody comes forward in the next three seconds, I kill this Warlord. One." There was a collective gasp and people glanced at each other nervously. "Two." Nobody spoke, all eyes were on the Tameranean. "Thr-"

"I'm here!" Koriand'r flew up from the depths of the crowd and shot up to Komand'r's level. "Now let him go, sister!"

Komand'r glared at her. "Did I ever say that I would let him go?" The spike drew back and the Warlord grinned.

"Kill me if you must. But if you do, know that your downfall is destined, for only I know this planet's darkest secret." Komand'r hesitated and that was all her sister needed. Koriand'r flew forward, her arms outstretched. Komand'r didn't even look as the spike transformed into a set of handcuffs and snapped around her sister's wrists. The cuffs yanked up painfully and Koriand'r was sent smashing into the ceiling. She groaned in pain and felldownwards. Komand'r spared her a glance as the new queen held out her arm, smashing her fist into Koriand'r's falling stomach.

"Oh stay put will you?" she muttered angrily, "What secret?"

The Warlord chuckled. "There is one yet on this planet more powerful than you, Komand'r. Much more powerful, and he will never bow to you." Komand'r narrowed her eyes and waved her arm, dropping her sister to the ground and sending the Warlord flying against the wall with a single motion. She left her throne and flew up behind the Warlord and forced his face further into the stone wall.

"Who is this warrior?" She demanded, "Tell me!"

Despite his predicament, the Warlord laughed aloud. "Or what? You'll kill me? I do not fear death, girl!"

Komand'r glared at him for a moment, but then broke out into a broad grin. With a wave of her ring, Koriand'r was pulled into the air by her wrists and slammed into the wall next to the Warlord. "No," said Komand'r, "Tell me where this warrior is or I kill _her_." The Warlord glared at her. "You can't do it, can you? Sacrifice your 'most promising student'."

The Warlord closed his eyes. "We do not speak his name. He makes his home on a cave on the far side of the planet. Nobody has gotten within three kilometers of his cavern and lived to tell the tale."

Komand'r laughed. "I see, a likely tale. A warrior nobody has seen, or can even prove exists?"

"It's true!" protested the Warlord, "It is said that a team of Green Lanterns visited him for assistance during the Anti-Monitor Invasion!"

Komand'r thought this over. The Warlords had great respect for the Green Lantern Corps. They wouldn't through around their name without good cause. "Very well," she said slowly, "You will lead me to this warrior and I will engage him in battle. But when I kill him, you must recognize me as your rightful queen and serve me in my invasion of Tameran!"

The Warlord chuckled. "Agreed. You have no chance." Komand'r smirked and pulled the Warlord away from the wall. A bronze cage formed around the Warlord and he was dropped to the ground.

"As for you," said Komand'r, turning to her sister, now regaining consiouness, "I have plans for you. Big, painful, righteous plans. Let's start by having you pull me to my destination." Komand'r's throne changed into an open carriage construct with a single yoke to pull it with. Koriand'r was forced under the yoke and attatched to it with bronze chain. The Warlord's cage floated over the carriage and molded itself into the rear. Komand'r reclined in her seat and formed a bronze whip. Koriand'r yelped as the construct flayed her back and she pulled desperately at the yoke, inching the heavy carriage along. "Everyone is to stay here until I return." Declared Komand'r, "For every person that leaves this stadium, I'll kill ten." She lashed her whip again and Koriand'r groaned, pulling the heavy carriage, her vicious sister, and the massive alien Warlord out of the arena.

. . .

Deep in the depths of space, farther than even the Guardian's influence and knowledge spread, a purple skinned humanoid alien lay alone in a dark cell. She gasped suddenly and sat bolt upright, sweat pouring off of her skin. She whipped her forehead and rocked back and forth, pulling her knees to her chest. She had dreamed of the alien again, the purple man with the green uniform who had spoken with her years before.

The selfish man with incredible powers, the man she once called her greatest enemy. She'd killed his daughter for what he had kept from her. He deserved to feel the same pain she felt. But still, all her justice had done was lock her in this cell. Why? Because the alien had told the warden that she deserved it. No trial, no hearing even.

She hadn't seen the alien in years, but she would never forget the look on his face the last time she saw him. He had told her that one day, she would understand and learn her lesson. But what lesson was there to learn. She stood and banged on her bars. A guard dutifully approached and handed her a tin cup of water. She took one sip and spat it in his face. The water was dirty and fowl. She tossed the tin at him and the guard glared at her angrily. The woman ignored his protests and marched back to the center of her cell, plopping herself down on the floor as she patiently waited for her revenge, just as she had every day for the past ten years.

She almost didn't see the purple light at first. She had hallucinated in the cell before, this was just another one, she figured. But she had never seen anything so real or so bright as the orb of purple light that filled her cell. The guard ran off to sound the alarm. The woman experimentally reached out and the light shot onto her finger before she could even blink.

The woman doubled over in pain. For the first time in her life, she felt a rush of emotion and knowledge flood through her. Every cell in her body screamed in pain, the same pain she had inflicted upon others. And it hurt, oh goodness did it hurt. For a few moments, she could only stay still, trying to absorb everything at once. Finally, she spoke to herself. "Oh," she whispered, "What have I done?" She raised her hand and saw a purple ring on her finger. It had a strange insignia with a circle and two arrows pointing up and down. In pulsed along with her pounding heart. "What have I done?"

A strange mist emerged from her ring, forming a holographic image of the alien that had put her in her cell. "Oh, Abin Sur," she whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. What have I done?"

The hologram image smiled at her. "You will repent in time, my child. Now, speak with me."

The woman sat up and raised her ring, seemingly in a trance. "Tor lorek san," she and Abin spoke in unison, "Bor nakka mur, Natromo faan tornek wot ur. Ter Lantern ker to Abin Sur, taan lek lek nok – formorrow Sur." The woman fell out of her trance and felt a clam, peaceful state fall over her. The hologram lay its hand on her head, gently carving the same symbol that was on the ring onto her forehead.

"You are no longer the criminal you once were," he said, "You are now Indigo-1, leader of the Indigo Tribe."

Indigo-1 bowed her head, gratefulness pouring through her. "Oh thank you, my savior! Thank you!"

"Rise, my child." She stood, but kept her head down. The hologram of the alien waved its hand, forming a long, thin staff with a large, purple orb at the end of it. "Take this." He handed her the staff and she took it, clutching it close to her.

"Oh savior," she asked, "The words you had me speak, what do they mean?"

Abin raised an eyebrow. "There is only one word of your oath you need know, my dear; nok. It means 'compassion be with you'."

"Nok," whispered Indigo-1 in awe, "Oh that is wonderful. Nok, my savior, nok to all!"

The smile on Abin Sur's face grew, but fell slightly. "I must go, my child." He said sadly.

Indigo-1 gasped in a panic. "No! Please! Do not leave me!"

Abin rested his hand on her shoulder. "I am dead, my dear, I must go back to being so. But I leave you with this mission. Go out into the universe and make more like you. Build the Indigo Tribe of the most sadistic of killers and show them how to be compassionate. Truly, that is the future of the universe."

Indigo-1 nodded earnestly. "I will not let you down, my savior." She whispered. Abin smiled once more at her and faded away. Indigo-1 sighed contentedly. She raised her ring to the cell bars and gently opened the lock with a beam of indigo light. She walked out of her cell just as a squad of guards ran up to her. They raised their weapons, but she raised her staff, raining down the indigo light on all of them. "Peace, my brothers." She said. The guards lowered their weapons, but knew that it would be alright.

Indigo-1 flew out of the prison. She had no idea where in the universe Abin Sur had imprisoned her, but it didn't matter. Evil existed everywhere, but now she existed to make evil see the error of its ways. She had a new mission in life, and she was determined to show the universe true compassion.

. . .

To avoid being in the public eye like in Metropolis, Hal elected to set the Aya down on a vacant mountain near Denver. As soon as the lanterns flew out of the ship and rounded the mountain, the aliens gasped and nodded in appreciation.

"Magnificent," whispered Arisia, "A city in the mountains. On my planet, there are too many wild beasts to build a city this high."

"It is an…admirable feat of human engineering," admitted Razer.

Kilowog merely shrugged. "Eh. I saw a bigger one on Barrio III."

Hal elbowed him in the ribs. "Oh, c'mon. Denver is pretty cool, right?"

Kilowog elbowed Hal back, sending him three feet in the other direction. "Let's just find the ring. Are we just gonna do what we did in Metropolis and split up? Or should we boot up Lame-o?"

Razor pointed towards the city. "I wouldn't bother with either option. Look." In the center of the city, there grew a beam of grey light that shot up to the sky. Slowly, a wave of dull steel washed outwards over the city, with the pillar of light as its epicenter.

"Grey, huh?" said Hal, "Gold was passion, I wonder what grey represents on the emotional spectrum."

"Let's not find out." Said Razer, already flying towards the grey light.

. . .

**Review!**

**Comic book fans and people who pay close attention to the show will know who Komand'r is gearing up to fight, and don't bother looking up Evan Michaels, he's an OC.**

**Fun Fact: Batman was actually chosen to be the Sinestro Corps Lantern of sector 2814 in the comics, but due to his exposure to Green Lantern's ring and his own formidable willpower, he managed to reject the ring before it turned him evil. I thought throwing in a fight between him and Sinestro would be a good, light salute to that.**


	6. Martian Madness

Same disclaimers as before. Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter 6: Martian Madness

Hal lead the others to touch down in an empty side-street on the outskirts of the city. On the streets, people were fleeing in terror, and Hal could see why. The wave of grey light was slowly passing down the street. Anyone caught in the light froze in place and was covered by a dull fluid that sprung out of the light. The liquid construct morphed around them and formed strange, tall bodied beings with wide eyes an elongated heads. People who were changed simply stood in place, as if waiting for something to come.

"Shields on maximum!" called Kilowog. Everyone obeyed; their protective life-support growing thick, thanks in part to the presence of Razer. The wave of light passed over them. Hal closed his eyes as he did, expecting the worst, but when he opened them, he saw that he was still human and nobody else was covered by the viscous fluid.

"Anybody know what that stuff is?" asked Hal. Razer flew up and forward towards the nearest stationary construct. He cautiously touched the strange liquid construct.

"It's solidifying." He said, backing up. He formed a drill construct and rammed it into the grey prison. The drill shattered as soon as it made contact. Razer stared at it and tried again with a chisel and hammer construct. Again, as soon as the chisel was placed gently on the construct, it splintered like broken glass. Razer raised the hammer in anger and brought it down hard on the head of the construct. The hammer bounced off the grey fluid and smacked him in the face. Razer flipped backwards towards the group.

Arisia rested a hand on his shoulder. "Let me try," she said, "Our green rings are getting a boost from yours."

Hal stepped forward. "Forget it, kid. I'll do it."

Arisia groaned in frustration. "But I haven't done anything! All I've done since we left Oa is get in trouble! Just give me this chance to do something right, please!"

Kilowog stepped forward. "This _is_ supposed to be a learning experience, Jordan."

Hal sighed. "Fine, go ahead." He gave a mock flourish, letting Arisia fly past him. She flew up to the grey construct and formed a massive clamp. With a look of pure determination, she gently pressed the construct against the grey body. Her construct stood up against the grey liquid, but she was sweating to try and keep it together. She began to pry the clamp apart, trying to pull the grey body apart with it. To her credit, she almost managed to make a crack in the body. As soon as she did so, a beam of powerful grey light shot out of it and struck her in the chest, throwing her straight into Hal's arms.

"There," said the senior lantern, "You had your shot." Arisia blushed deeply and Ch'p giggled, chattering loudly.

"What now?" asked Razer, folding his arms over his Blue Lantern crest.

Hal helped Arisia to her feet and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The ring here must be grey. Whatever emotion it channels must be incredibly powerful to be able to withstand a boosted green power ring."

"All rings work on concentrating an emotion," reasoned Kilowog, "So if we break the ring-bearer's concentration, or convince him to abandon the emotion…"

"Then their constructs will fail," finished Hal, "Freeing these people."

"I'll wager that grey light is where we'll find our ring-bearer," said Razer, pointing to the pillar of grey light in the center of the city.

"I don't make bets I can't win," replied Hal, "Let's go." Together, the group flew into the sky in the direction of the light.

"Emotion is supposed to be the most powerful emotion," pondered Arisia, "What emotion could produce this?"

"Will is the most stable emotion," said Kilowog, "Not the strongest." Ch'p made a sharp turn and slammed into Kilowog's face. "Hey! What's the big idea?" Ch'p squealed anxiously and pointed at the base of the pillar; where it met the city streets. A second wave of grey light was pulsing outwards. Instead of changing the people this time, the light terra-formed the earth. The hills in the city flattened out and the buildings were collapsing and reshaping, becoming taller and slimmer.

"What is going on here?" Muttered Hal, "C'mon!" He pulled into a sharp dive towards the base of the tower of light.

They all landed on the street, now coated with grey light, and walked up to the pillar, Hal leading the way. Up close, he could see that the pillar was completely solid, a pure light construct stretching a whole city block. Experimentally, he thickened his shield and put his face gently against the light.

"Carefull Jordan," cautioned Kilowog, "You don't know what's in there."

"No, but you might. Wanna take a look?" Kilowog frowned and stepped up to the light and peered in. Outlined in a silhouette in the center of the pillar was a cross-legged shadow floating a few feet off the ground, its head lowered.

Kilowog pulled away from the pillar. "What is that thing?"

Hal sighed. "I was hoping you knew. I guess we'll have to find out."

"And how do you suppose we do that?" asked Razer. Hal flew up and away, aiming his ring at the pillar. A giant, green jackhammer formed in the space between him and the pillar and immediately began smashing away at the construct.

Arisia flew up behind him and rubbed her arm. "Um, Lantern Jordan, I know it's not my place to say anything but, our rings-"

"Less talking, more shooting," said Hal through grit teeth, "If we concentrate our efforts on one spot, we might be able to break through!" Arisia gave a shrug and aimed her ring and fired a straight beam at the same spot the jackhammer was striking. Ch'p joined her with an eager squeak. Kilowog backed up and formed a harness with four green gatling guns and opened fire.

Razer sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Cretins," he muttered as he walked under the area the Green Lanterns were firing upon. He closed his eyes and meditated, just as Saint Walker had taught him. He reached out with one hand and felt the grey pillar. It had once been incomparable, but where the lanterns were hitting the pillar, there was now a growing crack. It wasn't very deep, and it slowly repaired itself as they continued to barrage the sliver, but it was enough to exploit, enough to give Razer hope. He opened his eyes and struck the pillar at exactly the right spot, pushing a blast of blue energy into the pillar.

The small crack exploded with the combined blue and green energy, making a space just wide enough for a human to go fit through.

"Jordan! Go!" shouted Kilowog. Hal shot forward, his jackhammer disappearing as he skimmed the side of pillar as he slipped inside.

The pillar walls were about ten feet thick, and even at his top speed, Hal only just managed to clear the hole before it sealed itself up again. He took a moment to revel in his good fortune before turning to the creature inside the pillar.

It had green skin and an elongated head. It was naked except for a brown loincloth. Hal floated forward.

"Um, hey?" The creature raised its head. It had narrow, slanted, red eyes. It blinked at Hal

"Who are you?" his voice was raspy and deep.

Hal stepped forward and held out his hand. "I'm Hal Jordan, I'm the Green Lantern of this sector." The creature lowered to the ground and stood up, his joints cracking as he did.

"Green Lantern," he muttered, "You protect this sector, yes?"

"Well, yeah," said Hal, "That's what I-" The creature's fist cut him off. It came from nowhere and felt like a sledgehammer.

"Where were you?" demanded the creature. His body shifted, like it was made of liquid. When it solidified, he stood ten feet taller and spikes were erupting from his skin. "Where were you when my people needed protecting?" Hal flew up into the air and formed a giant baseball bat. He swung wildly only for his construct to be grabbed by the creature. "You failed your sector, Lantern!" yelled the creature, "Now, I'm the only one left. So when you rue the death of your world, know you could have saved both of our worlds just by saving _mine_!"

Hal gasped and fell from the air, landing with a painful grunt on the ground. He felt like his brain was on fire and melting out of his ears. "You feel that, human?" said the creature approaching him, "That's my mental powers slowly cooking your mind. On Mars, it was the only way we communicated."

Hal managed to turn his head to look at his attacker. "M-Mars?" The creature shrunk down to his previous size. It placed its hand over its chest and pushed it through his skin.

"Yes," said the Martian while rummaging around in his own rib cage, "I am J'onn J'onzz, the last Martian, a title I only own because of _your_ negligence!" J'onn withdrew his hand from his chest, pulling out a small, grey ring. He slipped it on his finger and clenched his fist. A massive turret gun formed around the alien and it took aim at Hal.

Hal had enough time to say, "Uh-oh," before he was blasted by a two-foot wide bullet of concentrated grey light. The bullet smashed into his stomach, sending him flying into the grey wall. The light shattered as Hal flew out and the grey bullet dissimilated. As if he wasn't in enough pain, Hal flew face-first into the solid armor of Kilowog's chest.

"Jordan! You okay?" Kilowog cried as he caught his fellow lantern.

Hal rubbed his stomach. It felt like his gut had been forced out of his body. The bullet had forced the air from his body and his vision was tinted with darkness. "Can't…breathe." He murmured. Kilowog floated down and gently set Hal on the light-covered pavement.

"What was in there?" he asked. He placed his ring over Hal's chest and he formed a pressurized pump that forced Hal's lungs to expand, taking in oxygen.

"Martian," replied Hal, his vision slowly clearing, "Said…he was the last…off his kind…blames the Corps."

Kilowog helped him to his feet. "What? Like, the Manhunters killed off his race?"

Hal shook his head and rolled his shoulders, making satisfying cracking noises. "No, something else did and, for whatever reason, we didn't protect them."

Kilowog frowned and rubbed his tusked chin. "Never had a Martian in the Corps, but that wouldn't stop us from helping them out. That being said, I don't know if anyone's seen a Martian in the last century. How long ago was this?" There was a mighty explosion and Hal quickly threw up a shield. He looked up and saw that the grey pillar was firing off bolts of grey light at Razer, Ch'p, and Arisia as they flew around it, dodging between the new, grey-construct buildings. At the base of the pillar, grey light formed hard-light Martians, armed with strange weapons, all of which were leveled at Hal and Kilowog.

"No idea," said Hal, "Let's ask him." Inside the pillar, they could see the outline of the Martian grow and morph until it stood almost ten stories tall. Hal's and Kilowog's jaws fell simultaneously.

"Uh, you can ask him," said Kilowog, "Your sector and all." The Martian constructs opened fire and Hal immediately surrounded himself and Kilowog in a green tank.

"No, no," he said, shooting at the constructs with green armor-piercing shells, "You're the guest here, I insist."

Kilowog pulled himself out of the top hatch of the tank and constructed a grenade launcher, which he began firing intermittently. "Look at it this way," he grunted between shots, "If the Martians all died out in the last few years, then technically it is your fault. You should take responsibility for this."

Hal glared at him. "I didn't even know there _were_ Martians! How is this my fault?"

A blast of grey light caught Kilowog on the shoulder, sending him flying off the tank. "Huh," Kilowog muttered, landing in a crouch on the ground, "Strong stuff." He stood up and formed a brick wall between himself and the Martian shooters. "Look, Jordan," he said through the gun turret of the tank, "As a Green Lantern, you're responsible for the whole space sector, not just Earth."

"I know that!" argued Hal, "But there aren't that many inhabited planets and they don't have the same problems Earth does. Besides, if I had known about the Martians, I would've done something."

"Help!" Hal and Kilowog looked up to see Arisia weaving through the buildings as grey beams of light shot around her. She was a decent flyer, but she couldn't compete with the sheer number of grey blasts. One caught her square in the stomach and she fell like a stone.

"I got her," said Hal, dismantling the tank and jumping into the air. He caught Arisia and she blushed profusely.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

Hal blinked and gasped. "What the…?" Arisia followed his gaze and screamed. The grey blast that hit her was stained across her top and was slowly spreading across her torso.

"Oh!" cried Arisia, "Oh God! Help! Help me! Hal!" Hal let go of her and she floated away from him, watching her hand in horror as it was covered by the grey fluid. "I'm alone," she whispered, "So alone. Nobody likes me. I'm useless. I'm all alone."

Hal stared at her and flew slowly closer. "Arisia," he said gently, "You're not alone. I'm here, I'm with you." The grey fluid surged down Arisia's legs and inched up her neck

"Dad's gone," she said sadly, "Uncle's gone. I'm all alone. I can't do this alone."

"Arisia!" shouted Hal as the grey light covered her head completely, forming the familiar elongated shape of a Martian's head. As soon as it did so, images shot through Hal's head.

He saw a planet made of red desert. Beautiful buildings made of red sandstone shot into the black sky as green-skinned Martian walked the streets and catwalks of a magnificent city. One alien, J'onn Hal realized, was standing on a balcony, overlooking the city. A female Martian walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. A young Martian ran out to join them and hugged them both tightly. Hal watched J'onn smile and reciprocate the hug.

There was a flash of light and the night sky erupted into whiteness. The Martians shielded their eyes in confusion and fear. When the light cleared, the sky was filled with star ships. Their hangers opened at the same time and white, gelatinous blobs fell from them. When they hit the ground, they morphed into alien soldiers who began laying waste to the city around them. J'onn grabbed his family and ran inside.

The image grew blurry and changed. Hal found himself looking at J'onn holding the dead bodies of his wife and child in a field of red ash. Tears plunged down the Martian's face as he rubbed the faces of his dearly departed. The scene lasted only a second before Hal was suddenly in a large, organic hallway. J'onn and a few other Martians rushed by him with weapons drawn. Hal followed them into a cavernous room where several white aliens were guarding a large crystal. J'onn and the other Martians opened fire and fought with the guards, eventually overpowering them. J'onn grabbed the crystal victoriously and smashed it against the ground. Immediately, the room began to shake and the walls began to rot. J'onn turned with his hand raised, as if expecting a high-five. However, the other Martians were all dead, fallen in the skirmish. J'onn slowly lowered his hand and dropped his weapon.

The image blurred again and Hal saw J'onn standing in an open Martian field, looking into the night sky. Hal watched as J'onn flickered and disappeared. Hal saw him emerge in a science lab on Earth. It was nighttime and the only one in the lab was a frail old man in a white lab coat. The scientist took one look at J'onn and gasped, grabbing his chest. J'onn ran forward, catching the old man as he fell.

"I'm…sorry," whispered the scientist as his heart stopped beating. J'onn carefully lay the man on the ground and transformed into to a splitting image of the scientist as he stood up.

The scene shifted once more and Hal saw J'onn as a handsome human man in a car. The grey ring was on his finger and the Martian was examining it. There was a slight flash of light and his dead wife was suddenly in the passenger seat. J'onn said not a word, but simply embraced his love. As he did so, a massive beam of grey light shot out of his ring. It erupted out of his car and flew up to the clouds.

"My love," whispered J'onn, "I will rebuild our home. I won't be alone anymore."

Hal blinked and the images faded. Arisia, or rather the construct that surrounded and controlled Arisia looked up at him. "Arisia?" he said carefully. The construct replied with a right hook that Hal only just managed to dodge. He shot down and rejoined Kilowog on the ground, forming a domed shield to defend against Arisia. "Kilowog!" he shouted over the sound of the light blasts, "I've figured it out! Grey is loneliness! The ring is powered by solitude!"

Kilowog grunted as his wall was demolished and he quickly built up a new one. "And how does that help us?"

Hal reached out of the dome and grabbed Arisia by the throat. He yanked her down harshly, slamming her head into the solid shield. The poor girl slumped to the ground. "Sorry, kid," said Hal. He dropped his shield and flew up into the air until he hovered at eye level with the giant Martian shadow within the pillar. He held out his hand and a massive bullhorn formed in front of his face. "J'onn," he called, his voice amplified like a guitar at a rock concert, "Listen, I've seen what happened to your planet, to your people. When you turned my friend into one of your…avatar…things, your mental powers showed me your pain, your loneliness."

The pillar flickered and the light stopped, revealing the giant Martian. "You know nothing about my pain," boomed the alien as he took a step forward, "But you will."

"You're right," said Hal, "I don't know your pain, but that's not the point."

The giant Martian took another step. "And what is the point, Green Lantern?"

"That you're using your ring wrong." J'onn stopped and stared at Hal. Hesitantly, Hal let his bullhorn dissolve and flew up to the Martian. "What makes you a Lantern isn't a ring or a battery," he said, "But the conviction in your heart." J'onn slowly cocked his head to the side. Razer, Ch'p, and Kilowog slowly flew up behind Hal, making sure they kept well behind him.

"You're using your ring to recreate the life you knew," said Hal, "The life you miss. But the world you're making is a fake, and no matter how much you try to convince yourself it's real, you'll always know in the back of your mind that you're real family is dead." J'onn growled and Kilowog backed up, Ch'p wrapped anxiously around his arm. Razer rolled his eyes at the Green Lantern and flew forward to join Hal.

"The ring came to you because you are were alone," the Blue Lantern reasoned, "But it's not meant to fix your problems, but to solve them."

"I fail to see the difference," said J'onn, folding his gargantuan arms.

"This," Razer waved his arm to the grey cityscape, "This is a quick fix that will leave you empty and resentful." Razer raised his power ring and showed it to J'onn. "But you're a lantern now. You aren't alone anymore because you are a member of a group of elite individuals from across the universe. Individuals who share your strength of emotion. Individuals who have experienced far worse than you, but are willing to help you alleviate your pain." He paused and J'onn unfolded his arms. "You aren't alone anymore, Grey Lantern," Razer said, stretching out his hand, "You're with us, and that is the solution."

Hal smiled, truly impressed at how much Razer had changed. J'onn stared at the Blue Lantern, his massive, red eyes not leaving Razer's blue ones. Slowly the massive Martian shrunk down until he was hovering in the air at the size of an average human.

"Do you…do you truly mean that?" Razer smiled and leaned forward, his still outstretched hand emphasized. J'onn took his hand and shook it.

"It's time to look to the future, friend," said Razer, "And let go of the past."

"You are right," said J'onn with a small smile, "This is all a farce of my home world. I would never truly be happy with all of this." He raised his hand and there came a sound like a colossal vacuum. The grey buildings shattered and the grey streets were absorbed back into the grey ring. All the humans that were imprisoned in the grey Martian constructs were freed and continued to scream in terror across the city. The grey construct around Arisia shattered away and Ch'p darted down to check on her.

When all the grey light constructs had been sucked out of the city, J'onn lowered his hand and slipped off the ring with ease. "Here," he said to Razer, handing him the ring, "I no longer need a ring if I am truly a Lantern. Not to mention that, now that I am no longer alone, it probably will not work for me. Besides, I have enough power as it is. Speaking of which…" J'onn folded his legs and put his hands on his head, closing his eyes.

Kilowog edged forward, still uneasy about someone he had just seen shrink from the size of a giant to the size of a human. "Um, what are you doing?" he asked.

"I must wipe the memories of every human in Denver," replied J'onn, "Do not worry, the process is painless and relatively fast. Although it may take some time."

Razer placed his hand on J'onn's shoulder. "We must go, brother Lantern," he said, "We have a mission to finish, but know you're welcome on Odym anytime." J'onn smiled and Razer flew off.

Hal flew forward. "Listen, J'onn," he said nervously, "I know this is hard for you, but can you tell me when you became the last Martian?'

J'onn sighed and his head drooped. "It was about 26 of Mars years ago, or around 50 of your Earth years." Hal felt a huge weight lift off of him. He hadn't been the Green Lantern back then, he hadn't even been born.

"Thanks," he said, "And I'm sorry…for everything."

Kilowog flew forward, rubbing his wrist. "Look, guy, you're not the only one who's lost their world. If you ever wanna…you know…talk, then you can come to Oa and see me."

"That is a kind offer, Green Lantern," said J'onn, not opening his eyes, "But I think I will be alright now." Kilowog gave a small smile and flew off with Jordan. On the ground, Ch'p formed a green bubble around an unconscious Arisia and flew off after them. J'onn opened his eyes and smiled. "I see, Green Lantern Kilowog," he said to himself, "Our talk wouldn't be for me, it would be for you." He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he continued to rearrange memories in the people below him. "Perhaps another time, brother Lantern," he said, "Perhaps another time."

. . .

The team flew back into the Aya and the door closed behind them. Razer put the grey ring in a containment field. Hal patted the Blue Lantern on the back. "Good work out there, kid," he said.

"Thank you, Hal Jordan," he said in a dry monotone, "But if you don't mind, I need to rest. I'll be in my quarters." He flew off into the belly of the ship.

Hal turned to Ch'p. "Get Arisia to the med bay," he ordered, "If she wakes up, apologize to her for me." Ch'p saluted and pulled Arisia's body away. Hal turned to Kilowog. The giant alien was at the controls of the bridge, preparing the Aya for takeoff. "Hey Kilowog?"

"Yeah Jordan?"

"J'onn said that the Martians died out over 50 Earth years ago."

Kilowog stopped working and looked up at Hal. "That was back when Abin Sur was working this sector."

Hal blinked and frowned. "But Abin Sur was a great hero. Why would he let an entire race die off like that?"

Kilowog shrugged. "Nobody's perfect, Jordan, maybe this was his skeleton in the closet. Either way, Razer put it best; let go of the past."

Hal nodded. "Still, something to remember."

. . .

In a playground in Tallahassee, a group of young boys were surrounding a girl of the same age. They were tossing around a pink backpack in a cruel game of keep-away.

"Give it back!" protested the girl, "That has important stuff in it!"

One of the boys laughed. "Sucks to be you then, don't it?" he grabbed the backpack and tossed it lazily into the nearby street just as an 18-wheel big rig was roaring by. The massive truck rolled over the backpack without the driver even noticing. The girl gasped and tears formed in her eyes. She ran out into the traffic, cars screaming and honking around her. The boys laughed from the side of the road.

The girl finally grabbed the backpack just as a hummer was bearing down on her. For a moment, it looked like the little girl was dead. Then, a shining wall of silver light slammed down into the road. The hummer crumpled against the barrier as the girl opened the backpack. From the light of the sun, a figure clad in a silver and white jumpsuit with a criss-crossing helix sigil on the chest floated down, his hands in his pockets.

Traffic stopped to see this wonder and the boys gapped at the sight. Normally, the girl would react likewise, but there were more important things at hand. She rummaged through the pockets of the sack and her eyes widened as she drew out a handful of broken metal and shattered glass.

The flying young man landed gently next to her and knelt down at her side. "Is that mom's locket?" he asked. The girl did a double take when she saw her brother in such strange attire.

"Evan? What are you wearing?"

Evan sighed and put his hand on his sister's back. "It doesn't matter." Her eyes flashed silver and she nodded, turning her attention back to her broken keepsake. Tears poured down her cheeks like a waterfall.

Evan stood and walked calmly over to the awestruck boys, standing petrified at the side of the road. "You guys do this?" Slowly, one of them nodded. Evan sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, I guessed as much. Listen, I was never one for mementos and such, but mom's old locket was really important to her." He raised his ring and beams of silver light shot out, grabbing each of the boys in the face with a shining hand. "Now, I don't really care about much. Hell, I don't much care about anything really," he said over the boys' screams, "Oh shut up." The boys became quiet as they discovered they no longer cared about the silver hands that held them feet off the ground. It was irrelevant and pointless to care about it. "No, I really couldn't possibly care less," continued Evan, "But you made the kid cry, and I just can't have that." Slowly, the boys realized that they couldn't bring themselves to care about anything, a fact that didn't bother them because they didn't care.

Satisfied with his work, Evan dropped them and walked back over to his sister. "There are going to be some changes around here." He said.

. . .

Review!

Thanks for the reviews you guys have given me so far. They really are great to read and they give me a lot of good ideas for the story.

So far we've seen the gold ring of passion, the grey ring of loneliness, the indigo ring of compassion, the silver ring of indifference, the bronze ring of jealousy, and we're looking for the yellow ring of fear. I already know the last color and emotion of the seventh ring, and I already know who it's going too.

I'm not going to give anything away, but it is going to a character in the GLAS cannon (sorta). If you can guess who it is, I'll…I don't know. I'll figure out a prize later. Maybe I'll put you in the story as a minor character or something. Happy guessing!


	7. The Might of Light

Same disclaimers as before. Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter 7: The Might of Light

"You have got to be kidding me." Sinestro was floating over the cowering dictator. Behind him was a throne room littered with dead guards. His target, the alien warlord Kanjar Ro was in the fetal position on the throne below him. "You inspire fear in the Guardians? They're loosing their touch."

"Stay back, Lantern!" screeched the frantic alien, "I'm armed!"

"So I gathered," said Sinestro dryly, staring at the dictator's shaking scepter. He had heard before of Kanjar Ro and his fearsome Energi-Rod, but seeing the Dhorrean dictator turn into a sniveling wreck at the sight of his dead bodyguards was enough to convince Sinestro that Kanjar's true power came from his fearsome reputation. As he watched, Kanjar pressed a button on his belt and flickered out of sight, camouflaged from the naked eye. Sinestro sighed and scratched his nose. "I really don't have time for this." He raised his ring, a bright light emanating from the Green Lantern Corps symbol, revealing the hidden secrets of the room.

Kanjar was trying to sneak around him, but Sinestro's light illuminated him. The dictator squealed in fear and raised his scepter, flying towards the ceiling. Sinestro rolled his eyes and formed a great blade with his ring. With a violent swing, Sinestro sliced the Energi-Rod in two. It crackled with electricity as it and it's user fell to the floor. Kanjar screamed as the Energi-Rod began to glow and hum.

"You fool!" he screeched, "The core is unstable!"

Sinestro shrugged and thickened his shield. "Probably should have thought about that when you built it."

Kanjar ran to him and flung himself at the Lantern's feet. "Protect me!"

Sinestro laughed. "You're funny. Why would I protect you?"

Kanjar gapped at him. "But...but the Lantern Code! You must protect the innocent!"

Sinestro leaned down until his face was level with Kanjar's. He raised his ring so it was pointing at the gently pulsing Energi-Rod. "Let me see your hands."

Kanjar stared at him with eyes so wide, his eyeballs threatened to fall out of their sockets. "Are you insane? This whole mansion is about to turned into slag and you want to see my hands?"

"Do it." Sinestro didn't raise his voice, but his cruel smile was gone. This wasn't pleasure anymore, it was business. Kanjar slowly raised his shaking hands for the Lantern to see. He had plenty of rings made of precious metals from around the universe, but none had the inner glow of a power ring. Sinestro nodded. "It would appear you don't have what I'm looking for."

"Please, Sinestro," whispered Kanjar, tears streaming down his face, "I don't want to die."

Sinestro glared at him. "Neither did all the people you yourself have killed, Kanjar. Overall," a small ball of green light formed on Sinestro's ring, "I can't think of a single redeemable thing you've done."

"Sinestro," gasped Kanjar, "The Code!"

Sinestro hesitated and leaned back up, folding his non-ring hand behind his back. "They're more like guidelines," he decided. From the green orb shot a single beam of pure, solid light. The blast hit the two parts of the Energi-Rod and it exploded with the concentrated force of a small sun. Sinestro looked on with indifference as Kanjar Ro burned away before he could even scream.

Kanjar's mansion exploded outwards, spilling over the nearby lush forest and down the cliff it stood on. Amongst the burning rubble, Sinestro floated with his arms folded. His thick shield had protected him from the blast and his resolution had kept him in one place. He was starting to become very disappointed in his assignment.

Not that it was difficult. Rather it was more like a paid vacation, a tour across the universe where he had to run a few, short errands. What troubled him was just how easy it was. These were supposed to be individuals who could inspire fear in the omnipotent Guardians of the Universe. How could anyone with their powers possibly be afraid of these criminals? With a slight shake of his head, he shot off to find his next target.

. . .

Indigo-1 flew through space with a small smile on her face. She had found her newest follower. She hadn't met him yet, but she could feel his presence, his indifference to others.

She didn't know the name of the planet, but it was covered in clouds. As soon as she got below the atmosphere, she was battered by a volley of rain. It was fairly dark, but her indigo staff lit the way for her. She flew down to the planet surface where her follower stood. He was looking down on the body of the woman he had just killed. Her pink blood mixed with the rain and turned the soil to mud.

"I told you not to mess with me," muttered the killer as Indigo-1 landed softly behind him.

"Nok," he turned sharply and stared at the strangely dressed woman with a strange symbol on her chest and a long, glowing staff.

"Who're you?"

"Nok."

"Did you see anything?"

"Nok."

"You didn't see anything, did you."

"Nok."

"What does that mean?"

"Nok."

"Shut up."

"Nok." The killer glared at Indigo-1 and hesitated for a moment. Clearly, this alien woman was insane and incapable of giving him a straight answer. That probably meant that she was incapable of telling the authorities. Still, it was best not to take the chance. Besides, he still had some anger to vent. He roared and charged forward, drawing a knife as he did. The woman ducked under his strike and twirled behind him. "Nok."

"I'll nok you!" he grunted. He lashed at her again and she jumped over him like an expert gymnast. She landed behind him and lightly touched her staff to his head.

It happened in an instant. All emotion was sucked from the killer and absorbed into the staff. Indigo-1 gasped as she was flooded with massive amounts of hate, fear, and greed, but she quickly shook it off. The killer breathed heavily and slowly fell to his knees. "What…what've you done to me?" he whispered. He stared at his hands, still covered in the blood of the woman he had killed. "Please," he said, tears burning in his eyes, "Please undo it. I don't want to feel this, this regret, this…this…"

"Compassion?" Indigo-1 knelt down next to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Nok, brother," she said, "Peace and nok."

"Nok," he replied, "What can I do to redeem myself?" Indigo-1 stood and closed her eyes. The symbol of the Indigo Tribe flashed on her forehead and from her glowing staff erupted a flash of purple light. When the flash was over, Indigo-1 was holding a second staff. She handed it to the killer and from the glowing tip emerged a small, indigo ring. It flew down and slipped onto his finger. He sighed in mild relief as he was filled with compassion for his fellow beings.

"What was your name, brother?" Indigo-1 asked.

"Munk," he replied, "I was Munk. Who am I now?"

Indigo-1 gently kissed him on the forehead. "You're Indigo-2."

"Indigo-2," he whispered happily, "Oh yes, that's nice. Nok."

"Nok." Indigo-1 smiled. Her first follower, the first of many. The true birth of the Indigo Tribe was at hand.

. . .

Komand'r lounged in her throne as her sister pulled it with a bronze harness. Behind her, the Warlord prisoner meditated quietly. They had been traveling for hours and Komand'r was bored out of her mind. She wanted to make life more miserable for her wretched sister, but she also wanted to savor a slow torture. Komand'r sighed with impatience. Oh well, luckily she had another plaything.

"Warlord!" she snapped, "Sing a song of my glorious rise to power!"

The Warlord cracked open one eye. "War songs are only written of epic heroes and often take years or even decades to compose. You want me to recount your treacherous coup with no preparation whatsoever? I am no poet, woman."

Komand'r grinned. "I thought you'd say that." The cage that held the Warlord suddenly became filled with sharp, bronze thorns. The Warlord was far too battle-hardened to cry out in pain, but Komand'r could see the discomfort on his face. She smirked and drew her thorns tighter, digging into her former teacher's skin.

She formed a second line of thorns and made them into a constructed whip. She lashed at her sister's back, ripping through clothes and skin. Koriand'r screamed in pain as her back became wet with blood.

"Faster, sister dear," said Komand'r checking her nails, "If we don't get to this warrior by nightfall, I'll start cutting off limbs." Koriand'r whimpered and desperately tugged at the heavy float.

The Warlord glared at Komand'r with burning eyes. "I can't wait to see him tear you apart," he said through grit teeth, "He'll kill me for simply being in his presence, but it'll be worth it to see you die first."

Komand'r closed her eyes and reclined. "Mmm, tell me about my opponent," she said, stretching her muscles.

The Warlord grinned. "He is a master of combat. He used to be a member of an honorable corps, but now he is the last of his kind."

Komand'r shrugged. "Oh, be still my aching heart." She muttered sarcastically.

"Oh, don't feel sorry for him," said the Warlord, "He killed the entire corps single-handedly."

Komand'r stared at him. "Why?"

The Warlord shrugged. "Nobody knows. I suppose we'll find out."

Komand'r snarled. "It makes no difference. I'll tear him limb from limb." She turned to her struggling sister, "And then we'll really have some fun." A bronze, thorny vine, wrapped itself around Koriand'r's throat and she gave a silent scream of agony. It didn't hurt so much, the thorns had missed fro the most part; no what hurt the most was the knowledge that they still had a few more hours of travel ahead of them and Komand'r's imaginative torture methods could last much longer than that.

. . .

Hal had made the discovery of a lifetime. The Interceptor II a.k.a. the Aya, had an autopilot function that, Guardians be blessed, did not require them to turn on Lame-o. Hal had set a quick course for Talahasse and retreated to the lounge for the duration of the hour-or-so flight. "Two down," he said to himself as he jumped onto the green circular couch, "Five to go. So far, so good."

"Glad you think so." Hal looked up and stood as Arisia entered the room, a bag of healing ice pressed against her head.

"Hey, kid," he said, helping her onto the couch, "You okay?"

"Been better," said Arisia with a small smile, "I've been knocked out before, but that grey light messed with my head."

Hal hesitated. "While you were being controlled by the grey light, you said something about your dad and uncle."

Arisia sighed and gently lay her head back. "My dad was the Green Lantern of our sector. When he died, my uncle got his ring and now it's chosen me to continue the family tradition."

"That's a lot to live up to."

"You sound like you speak from experience."

Hal smiled. "Sort of. My ring belonged to Abin Sur, one of the greatest Green Lanterns in living memory." He decided not to tell her about his suspected involvement of Abin Sur in the genocide of the Martians. Until he could get some more information, that was going to stay between him and Kilowog. The door to the room slid open with a hiss and Razor stepped in to join them.

"Excuse me, Arisia," he said stepping forward, "But I wish to speak with Hal Jordan alone." Arisia nodded and gingerly stood up, clutching her ice bag tighter as she walked out of the room.

"What's wrong, Razer?"

The Blue Lantern sat down across from Hal and picked at the small bag he wore around his neck. From inside, he pulled his old Red Lantern ring. It was glowing softly despite its proximity to Razer's Blue Lantern ring. Hal raised an eyebrow. "You kept that thing?"

Razer nodded. "Yes. Occasionally all this optimism and hope is…overwhelming. The red power ring keeps me grounded in reality." He tucked the ring back into his necklace. "Which is why I need it now. I've been having doubts."

"Doubts? How unlike a Blue Lantern. What about?"

Razer paused and steepled his fingers. "I have heard of Krona. His power...it's supposedly immeasurable. If we are to fight him, we will need all available resources on our side if we want to have so much as a chance to survive."

Hal pressed a button on the side of the table between them. A glass of water lowered from the ceiling and into his open hand. "What's your point, Razer?"

"I know we're here to follow the Guardians' orders, but I can't help but think; what if we could use these new lanterns to our advantage?" Hal looked at him thoughtfully. "That Supergirl with the gold ring, she could have helped us in this battle. The Martian would be incredibly useful in a fight."

Hal sipped at his water. "It's a good plan," he said after a moment's thought, "But we can't do it."

"Why not?"

"Think about it," said Hal, "Supergirl is a teenager. With the power of passion on her side, she'd be unstoppable, but she can't control it. One day, she'd be so consumed with her passion; she might end up hurting someone close to her. And you saw what J'onn did to Denver. He may be able to control his loneliness now, but we can't be sure he won't relapse and lose control again." He held up his ring for Razer to see. "The Guardians chose to give their Corps the power of will because will is easy to control," he explained, "It's hardly even an emotion, more of a state of mind. We Green Lanterns don't have to be angry or happy for our rings to work, we simply will our constructs into being. Other Lanterns don't have that advantage."

Razer thought for a few seconds about that. "I see," he said finally, "Still we should consider my idea an option as a backup in case the worst is to happen."

"Agreed," said Hal. Razer nodded and stood up to leave the room. As he was leaving, Hal took another sip of the water. "You miss her, don't you."

Razer stopped and looked back over his shoulder. "Don't you miss your love?"

Hal smiled. "Too true." Razer turned back to leave, but he was barreled over by Kilowog.

"Jordan!" said the giant alien, "You better come see this!" Hal flew up and followed Kilowog to the cockpit. The windshield was covered with holographic screens. Ch'p was running across the controls, trying to process all the channels at once. At the wheel, Lame-o's cube hologram turned to face Hal.

"Well hello there, Lantern Jordan!" he said brightly, "What can I do for you?"

"Not now, Lame-o!" snarled Hal as his eyes scanned the screens. They were Earth news feeds all discussing the same thing. "Ch'p, bring up the one in the corner and full-screen it." Ch'p chattered in exhaustion and used his ring to push the button on the far side of the dashboard. One screen became enlarged and filled the windshield.

"The city of Tallahassee has been put on lockdown by the State of Florida." It was a red-headed woman reporter in a helicopter over a city covered in thick, bright fog. "Early reports show that most of the city has been shrouded in a strange, silvery mist. We have been able to get a few glimpses through the fog with our aerial cameras. So far, all we have seen is little to no movement. The few vehicles we've seen are stationary and all the people are lying down. It is unclear if there are any victims of this strange occurrence." The woman on screen touched her ear and nodded. "I'm just getting reports that a few people have stumbled out of the fog. The survivors are reported to be unresponsive to questions and in a very relaxed state. It is unclear what that means at this time."

Her eyes widened and she turned to the camera. "This just in! Witnesses claim they have seen the superhero the Flash and his young protégé headed from Keystone City in the direction of Tallahassee!" The woman smiled brightly, "It would appear as if the people of Florida have nothing to worry about. For GBS, this is Iris West."

Hal nodded. "That's enough, Ch'p, turn it off." Ch'p complied with a squeak.

"Do you think that the missing ring has something to do with that mist?" asked Kilowog.

"Excuse me, Lanterns," said Lame-o, "But-"

"Shut up, Lame-o. Well, as far as I know it isn't normal for clouds of mysterious haze to randomly settle over Florida cities, so I'm just going to assume it's not a coincidence."

"Lantern Jordan," injected Lame-o, "Your-"

"Shut up, Lame-o! And don't get smart with me, Jordan!" barked Kilowog.

"Luckily, we'll be getting some help from an old friend," continued Hal as if he hadn't heard Kilowog, "It'll be good to see Barry again, but I didn't know he had a sidekick now."

"Lanterns?" asked Lame-o hesitantly.

"WHAT?" shouted Hal and Kilowog simultaneously.

"Star Sapphire Carol Ferris is approaching the ship at a high speed."

Hal blinked in surprise. "Carol? What's she doing here?" There was a flash of violet light and Hal winced. Standing before him on the bridge was a very lovely, very angry looking Carol Ferris, dressed to kill in her Star Sapphire uniform.

"HAL JORDAN! You leave the planet in the middle of our date, and literally only a few hours later I see you on T.V. in Metropolis? Were you planning on telling me you were back on Earth so soon? You've got some explaining to do!"

Hal sighed, his shoulders slouching in despair. "Oh boy."

. . .

Larfleeze clutched his shiny, his lovely. It was his and his alone. Nobody but him could love and cherish his shiny like he could. He wanted it so badly that it was his. All of it was his. He was content to stare at his precious for all of eternity if necessary.

Larfleeze sniffed the air and growled. Intruders! Trespassers outside the cave! They must want his shiny! Nobody could have his shiny! It was his! He scurried around the cave, hiding above the entrance as the intruders walked in.

In the lead was a bloodied and beaten girl who limped severely. She had tears of pain, both inner and physical, running down her orange-skinned cheeks. He looked down on her with a sense of mild pity. Larfleeze almost felt like she wasn't here for his shiny, but he quickly banished the thought. Of course she was here for his shiny! They all were!

The girl was pulling some kind of carriage made of bronze light. Sitting in the carriage was another girl in a bronze outfit with a strange symbol of twin vertical lines with twin circles on her chest. She held a long bronze whip with several pieces of bronze glass sticking out of it. On her finger was a bronze ring. Larfleeze didn't know her and didn't care. She was here for his shiny and therefore must die.

The last intruder was a giant Warlord from the far side of Okaara. He sat in a bronze cage, is eyes darting about nervously. IT was rare that Larfleeze encountered a Warlord; they were usually smart enough to stay far away from his shiny. This one must not have gotten the memo.

"Ugh!" grunted the girl in the carriage, "This place smells like Glorg'non! Let me kill this warrior and get it over with!" The girl pulling the carriage collapsed on the floor at the foot of Larfleeze's pyramid. The other girl looked down on her with disdain. "Oh, are you done already?" The girl flew off of her bronzed throne and drifted into the air. "Fine, I'll continue my entertainment later. For now, I must concentrate on my fight." She flew over the pyramid and her eyes fell upon the shiny. "Hello," she said, "What are you?" She dropped down and stood before the shiny.

Larfleeze growled and crept forward. "That's mine!" he shouted. The girl swiveled and stared at the shadows where his voice came from. He dashed off into another corner. "Stay away from my shiny!"

The girl folded her arms. "You must be the warrior I am destined to fight. Reveal yourself and I promise you a swift end."

Larfleeze crawled up a wall while she wasn't looking. "Get away from my shiny! It's mine!"

"Pffft!" snorted the girl as she turned to face the shiny, "Like I want your stupid shiny." She looked at it for a few moments. "You know what," she said slowly, "I think I'll take your shiny just because I can. Yes, I'll do that." She reached out a hand and Larfleeze shot forward. He grabbed her wrist and tossed her like a sack of potatoes back into her bronze carriage. The carriage shattered like glass. The freed Warlord dashed forwards and knelt by the bloodied girl.

The girl who had almost touched the shiny stood up. "Ah! There you are!" She jumped into the air and formed twin swords made of bronze light. "I'm afraid I must kill you for the true right to rule, and also for your shiny." She hesitated and stared beyond Larfleeze at the shiny. "Mostly for the shiny," she said dreamily, "Yes, that shiny will make a good trophy for my victory."

Larfleeze growled and roared. From his ring burst forth constructs of the entire Orange Lantern Corps, all as raging and volatile as Larfleeze. "What's mine is mine!" he shouted, "And mine and mine and mine and mine and mine! NOT YOURS!"

The girl grinned viciously and raised her fist, showing off her bronze ring. "We'll see about that."

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Please post more of them, I really feel like getting your feed back and enthusiasm helps my writing process.

I put in a few hints about my last original Lantern in this chapter. As a bonus, here's a bonus hint: the character is in the GLAS cannon, but we never actually see or meet him.


	8. Trust Issues

Same disclaimers as before. Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter 8: Trust Issues

Carol glared at Hal, who was withering under the gaze of the Star Sapphire.

"Honey," he pleaded, "Please, can we talk about this later? As in, when we aren't dealing with a power ring in the hands of someone who clearly doesn't know how to use it?"

Carol's eyes flashed purple. "No, no!" she snapped, "You need to explain to me why you didn't tell me you were back so soon!" Her expression changed from angry to hurt. "I could have helped you out."

"I didn't tell you because I knew you'd want to help!" protested Hal, "Also because I totally forgot, but also because I didn't want you to get hurt!"

"I'm a Star Sapphire, Hal!" said Carol, throwing up her hands, "I can handle myself! I was worried about you!'

"Me?" cried Hal, "I have entire team to back me up!" Carol put her hands on her hips and growled. Hal crossed his arms and scowled. Kilowog, Razer, Arisia, and Ch'p were standing stock still at the side of the room, their eyes flicking back and forth between the arguing parties.

For a few moments, Hal and Carol simply glared at each other. Then they threw themselves upon each other, embracing tightly and kissing. "God I missed you," muttered Carol.

Hal raised an eyebrow. "I was only gone for a few hours."

"Mmm, too long."

Kilowog raised his finger, about to interject, but Arisia quickly covered his mouth with a giant, green hand construct. Ch'p crawled onto her shoulder and sighed happily at the romantic sight. Razer closed his eyes before turning and leaving the room. Carol and Hal broke apart. "So, what now?" asked Hal.

"Now we see what's happening in Tallahassee," said Carol with a smirk, "I always wanted you to take me to Florida."

. . .

The Warlord carried Koriand'r carefully out of the cave, setting her down gently. The girl's breath was shallow and slow. Blood leaked profusely from various wounds. The Warlord quietly cursed Komand'r. The Bronze Lantern knew how to bring Koriand'r to the very brink of death, but not kill her. The Tamaranean princess would live, but the scars that latticed across her upper back and rear would likely be permanent. The skin on her hands and knees was shredded from walking on all fours. Her face was bruised and tear-streaked. The Warlord gently caressed her cheek as loud bangs and blasts of light emanated from the cave. He picked up his student and ran.

Inside the cave, Komand'r was turning the place into a warzone. It wasn't exactly her fault; she was facing an entire army of Orange Lantern constructs. They swarmed her like a hive of insects, but she threw up a dozen bronze shields with sharp spikes on each. Several Orange Lanterns impaled themselves harshly on the spikes and screamed as they shattered. As the others dodged around the barriers, Komand'r shot at them with streaks of bronze light. Whenever a construct got to close for comfort, she would utilize her training from the Okaaran Warlords, spinning and swirling around the Orange Lantern, striking it until it was destroyed. Larfleeze darted around behind his army of Lanterns, firing off shots when he saw a gap in the combat.

"It's my shiny!" he yelled, "Get away from it!"

"Shut up!" shouted Komand'r. She dove down and grabbed the Orange Power Battery. As her hand touched it, her bronze outfit flashed orange. She knelt down and scooped up a handful of Orange Power Rings from the floor. Slipping on a few, she cackled as she felt the power of avarice flow through her, combining with the power of her jealousy. A bronze aura appeared around her body and her eyes turned to orbs of orange flame. "Power!" she screamed, "You have it! I want it! I deserve it!" She raised her fist, covered in rings and a thousand spikes of light shot from it. Larfleeze ducked behind a stone, dodging the attack. His Orange Lanterns weren't so lucky. There were thousands of screams of pain and terror as all of his constructs shattered, destroyed by the barrage of spikes. He growled angrily.

"My friends! You killed my friends!" he looked out from over the stone and his eyes widened. The girl was kneeling on the floor, grasping her hand.

"Consumption complete," said a voice that filled the room, "Identities stolen."

"No!" roared Larfleeze angrily. He dove forward, bounding towards the huddled girl.

"Orange Lantern Corps, you belong to Queen Komand'r." Larfleeze leapt at Komand'r his claws outstretched. Just as his talons were about to slice her throat, from Komand'r's hand burst forth the former Orange Lantern Corps. Their constructs were covered with her bronze aura. They blasted Larfleeze away from their master. Larfleeze landed with a rolling crouch.

"You stole them," he whispered, "You stole my friends!"

"No," said Komand'r, rising to her feet, "They were mine to begin with. I deserve all these friends, I earned them! You don't deserve to have friends!" She waved her hand and the entire might of her army of constructs rose up, ready to destroy Larfleeze. Larfleeze tried to summon a supporter, but they had all been consumed by the girl, he had no identities stored in his ring anymore.

"I'll bury you!" he screamed in anguish.

"I'd like to see you try," she smirked as she brought her hand down. Just as her constructs began their charge, a beam of green light blasted Komand'r into a pillar. As she lost focus, her constructs faded away.

"Now this is more like it," Larfleeze looked up to see a purple alien in a Green Lantern uniform float down from a hole in the ceiling, "Larfleeze, I assume?" Komand'r started to get to her feet, but the Green Lantern flicked his hand, forming handcuffs around her wrists an ankles. "None of that," he said sternly, "My name is Sinestro, and I'm a Green Lantern. I just want to ask you a few questions, Larfleeze."

"I'm not Larfleeze!" barked Komand'r, "I am Queen Komand'r!" she struggled against her bonds and they shattered around her bronze aura. She formed a giant bronze fist construct and reared it back to punch Sinsestro. The Green Lantern lazily flicked his arm and beam of green light grabbed Komand'r's face and slammed it against the pillar. The bronze construct faded away as she slowly collapsed to the ground.

"I am Larfleeze!" shouted the Orange Lantern, "What do you want? Are you here for my shiny? If you came for my shiny, I'll kill you, just like I'll kill her!" He dashed forward and scooped up the Orange Power Battery, dropped by Komand'r, into his arms.

Sinestro stared at him. "You? You're Larfleeze?" his shoulders drooped, "The Guardians are afraid of you? You couldn't even beat a Tamaranean brat!"

"Who are you calling a brat?" shouted Komand'r as she wobbled to her feet. She called upon the power of the Orange Lantern and the Orange Lantern Corps burst to life around her, ready to protect their mistress.

Sinestro rolled his eyes and shot forward, his fingers closing around Komand'r's throat. She gasped for air and her constructs faded once more. "You have power," Sinestro said as he grabbed her hand, sliding her rings off of her, "But you lack focus or discipline. Power in the hands of a fool like yourself is like trusting the Guardians to be afraid of actual threats." He leaned in close; Komand'r tried to lean back, vulnerable without her ring. "And so far," he said quietly, "I am very disappointed." Komand'r clenched her teeth and her bronze ring shot back onto her finger. She formed her bronze whip and lashed upwards, wrapping the weapon around Sinestro's throat. He chuckled despite his bond. "You're learning." He tossed her away and cut away the whip with a knife construct.

Komand'r caught herself in the air and shook her head, letting blood flow back to her brain. Larfleeze growled up at her. "Shiny, find the right ring!" from the pile of Orange Lantern rings that had once been on Komand'r's hand, a single ring rose up. Larfleeze grabbed it and switched his own ring out for the new one. Experimentally, he formed a few Orange Lantern constructs. Seeing his success, he cackled. "I got my friends back!"

Komand'r flew up towards the hole in the roof and glared down at Larfleeze. "This means war, beast!" she spat, "The shiny will be mine! I deserve it! And you!" she swiveled her piercing gaze to Sinestro. He didn't even flinch. "When Okaara is mine; I will destroy the Green Lantern Corps! Do you hear me! I will turn Oa into a barren world!"

Sinestro smirked. "If I had a ring for every time I heard that, I could start my own corps." He frowned, "Would turn out better than the Guardians' corps, I tell you that." He floated upwards and rose passed Komand'r. "Clearly, the yellow light isn't here." He flew off into the sky, the eyes of Komand'r and Larfleeze followed him. Komand'r turned back to Larfleeze angrily and flew off towards the forest.

It took her a few minutes to find the Warlord dashing through the foliage, her sister clutched tightly in his arms. She grunted and swooped down in front of him. "Going somewhere?"

The Warlord hesitated. "Did…did you kill the Orange Lantern?"

"No," grunted Komand'r, "But I will. Organize the armies, we're going to war."

"No."

Komand'r stared at her former teacher. "What?"

"No," he smirked, "You failed to kill the Orange Lantern. By the bargain we had, you are not my queen and have no authority over me." He walked passed Komand'r. She didn't turn around as he moved away. "You will leave this planet," he called, "You will never return here or to Tamaran. If you ever threaten your sister again, I'll personally-" he was cut off by a bronze drill protruding from his chest. He stared at it in shock as he lowered to his knees and dropped Koriand'r roughly on the ground. She groaned in pain, but the Warlord did not hear her. He slumped to the side as life left him. Komand'r retracted her bronze construct to her ring and walked forward, stomping hard on her sister's stomach, forcing the poor girl awake.

"Up," Komand'r barked, "I have some anger to vent."

. . .

Indigo-1 mediated while floating around a baby sun. She smiled as she felt several more Indigo Lanterns being created around the universe. Each one inspired a burst of happy compassion through her body. Her staff twirled slowly behind her and she took it in her arms, cradling it like a baby. In a way, it was her child. The Indigo Tribe was not her creation, but it was hers to raise, she could only hope to do a good job of it.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up to see Indigo-2 smiling down on her. "Nok," she greeted.

"Nok."

"What news?"

"We have detected a serious lack of compassion on Okaara."

Indigo-1 stood up, her knees aching as she did. "Okaara, hmm? Home of the Warlords."

"Yes," said Indigo-2, "Is this where we will reveal ourselves to the universe?"

Indigo-1 thought for a moment before smiling at her partner. "Why not?"

. . .

Krona glared down at the universe. "Not enough time," he grunted, "Not enough chaos." He folded his arms in thought. Around him, his anti-matter minions swirled, eager for the war upon the Guardians to begin.

He snapped his fingers as an idea came to him. He just need a bit of time to build up his power, one more obstacle ought to cause enough chaos. He clenched his fists and closed his eyes in concentration. What could cause enough chaos to give him the time he needed to recharge? He opened his eyes and smiled. Death, death could give him more than enough time. He opened one fist and grinned cruelly down on the orb of life-sucking light. Anyone else holding a black hole in their palm would be sucked into it and destroyed in its singularity, to Krona it felt like a pinprick. He gently used his fingers to widen the hole. Deep within the impossible center of the hole, he saw what he was looking for.

With a nod of his head, the orb of black light that was the source of the black hole's suction flew out. He caught it deftly with his other hand. He tossed away the now-useless black hole away and examined the black element.

He hadn't worked a forge in quite some time, several thousand millennia to be precise. Nonetheless, he felt confident enough in his skill. He formed an anvil and hammer from pure anti-matter and set to work.

. . .

Hal set the Aya down on the ground behind a line of police barricades that surrounded the dome of silver mist. Immediately, a dozen guns and a tank were aimed at them. "So," said Kilowog conversationally, "What do we tell them? 'Oh sorry about the alien silver fog that could be destroying an entire city, our bad'?"

"I don't see why we have to explain anything to them," said Razer, folding his arms, "This is our problem, they need not concern themselves with it."

"Earth doesn't quite work like that, Razer," Said Hal, standing up, "Carol and I will handle the authorities. You guys stay put."

Carol patted Razer on the back. "Don't worry, this will only take a minute." She and Hal floated out of the Aya, their hands raised in surrender.

As the police and military saw them, their cocked their weapons loudly. "It's alright, everyone!" called Hal, "I'm Green Lantern, and this is…Star Sapphire. We're here to help."

A general in a decorated uniform stepped forward, his machine gun raised to eye level. "Get on the ground and take off your ring!" he shouted.

Hal's eyes widened. "What? No! Look, this isn't our fault, we didn't do this!"

"The last reports we got said that the last thing that happened before this stuff appeared was a flash of light!" Snapped the general. He fired his weapon and Hal felt the bullet seer past his face and clang against the Aya's hull.

Carol screamed. "Whoa! Easy! We only came to help! The light had nothing to do with us!" The soldiers and police gasped and the general grunted in surprise and anger, keeping his weapon raised.

Hal sighed and rubbed his temples. "The others just flew out behind us, didn't they."

Carol turned to look in his stead. "Yes, yes they did. And they look very, very angry."

"Nobody fires on my ship and gets without a good explanation!" Growled Kilowog, forming a hammer in his hands. Razer flew up and over Hal and Carol, landing with a crouch, his head down.

"You dare," he whispered. The pouch around his neck began to pulse and glow violently. The blue light on his finger began to fade slowly. "You dare defile the vessel that bares her name?" He looked up and glared at the general. So harsh and hateful was his gaze that the general gulped and stepped back.

Hal grimaced. "Well, I couldn't have seen this going any worse."

"I could've," countered Carol grimly. Suddenly, there was a blur of wind and light. Everyone braced themselves against the sudden wind that buffeted them.

"Alright," said a voice, "I think we all need to take a big step back and calm down." Hal looked up and sighed with relief as his eyes fell upon the red outfit of his friend Barry Allen, a.k.a. the Flash, the speedster from Central City. A second blur of wind joined his friend and a boy with bright red hair and a yellow uniform skidded to stop next to the Flash.

"It's okay, guys!" called the boy, "Flash and Kid Flash in the house! We got this!" Hal stared at his the Flash who cringed slightly.

"Um, Kid? Leave this to me." The Flash stepped forward and gently laid his hand on the general's gun. "Look, the Green Lanterns are here to help, I can vouch for them."

The general stared at the Flash for a moment and slowly lowered his weapon. "Sorry," he muttered, "It's just-"

"We're all in a bit of a panic here," nodded the Flash, "It's cool. Just let us pass and we'll handle things from there. Don't worry," he called to the soldiers, "We've got this under control."

Hal cautiously flew over as the soldiers turned their guns back to the silver fog. "You always had a way with crowds, Flash," he said. The speedster grinned at him and they embraced in a long-overdue bro-hug. "It's good to see you again, Barry," Hal whispered to his friend.

"Speak for yourself!" chuckled Flash as he pulled away, "I don't see you for months on end and suddenly I see you at a national security threat in Florida? Don't tell me you've been on vacation this whole time."

"I wish! I had to stop a threat to the whole universe with nothing but these pozers to back me up." He said, jerking his thumb to Kilowog and Razer who flew off the landing ramp to join him. Arisia and Ch'p peaked out from the ship and slowly walked out to join them. "So who's this guy?" Hal motioned to the yellow clad boy who stood proudly besides the Flash.

"Name's Kid Flash!" he said, using his thumb to point to the lightning bolt emblem on his chest. Hal looked at Flash questioningly.

"He's my nephew," said the speedster sheepishly, "He stumbled onto my old lab notes and recreated my experiments."

"So you made him your sidekick?" said Hal, "What are you kid, 12? 13?"

"14," Kid Flash said indignantly, "And I have powers!" To demonstrate, he dashed off and returned before Hal could blink, twirling a gun in his hand. In the distance, Hal could hear a soldier cry out in surprise. He turned to look at Flash.

"He made a very compelling argument at the time," sighed Flash, "Let's just do this, okay?"

"Hold up," said Hal, "I'm not letting, Kid Flash was it? He's not going in with us."

"Hey!" Cried Kid Flash, "What about her?" he pointed at Arisia. "She can't be older than me!"

"Actually," said Arisia timidly, "I would be 40 of your Earth years old."

"Regardless!"

"Arisia is a Green Lantern," said Hal firmly, "She is gifted with the power and authority of the Guardians of the Universe, which is only granted to those with extreme willpower. You're a teenager with impulse control issues."

"C'mon, Lantern," said the Flash, "That's not really fair."

"Flash, I'm not going to put my comrades at risk because we went in with an untrained rookie. At least with our rookies, we knew they had already passed a qualifying test just by getting their rings." Flash sighed and looked down. "Tell you what," reasoned Hal, "He can hang out on Aya." Hal motioned to the ship.

Kid Flash's eyes widened. "Deal!" before Hal could react, the young boy ran onto the ship.

"He better not cause havoc in there," said Razer scournfully.

"Stay with him, Razer," said Hal.

"What?"

"You're on edge," Hal said, pointing to the pouch around his neck. It was still glowing a violent scarlet. "We can handle this without you. You need t meditate for a while, regain your cool. Also I want someone there to make sure 'Kid Flash' doesn't turn my ship into a pile of scrap metal."

"Are you sure about this?" interjected Kilowog, "Without his blue light, our rings won't get a boost."

"I am confident that you will succeed without my help," said Razer reluctantly, "Very well, Hal J-" Hal quickly formed a green gag around his friend's mouth and narrowed his eyes pointedly. Razer rolled his eyes and tore off the gag. "Very well, _Green Lantern_, I will stay with the Aya." He flew off and back into the ship, closing the landing ramp behind him.

Hal turned back to the Flash. "Ready?"

The Flash crouched down and aimed himself towards the silver cloud. Police quickly formed a break in the barricade for him to run through. "On your marks," the Lanterns hovered into the air and raised their rings.

"Never really been in combat like this," muttered Carol.

"You're Carol Ferris, right?" asked Arisia, "Didn't you fight off the Red Lantern Atrocitus?"

"Yeah," she said grimly, "But I wouldn't exactly call that fight a victory."

"Get set," called the Flash, "Go!" he ran forward with a blur and the Lanterns followed as closely as they could into the silver fog.

Immediately, Hal knew something was wrong. His ring flickered and he tumbled forward, crashing hard on the asphalt. Looking up, he saw that all his friends had done likewise. But he suddenly found that he really didn't care about them. He saw Carol try to get up and knew he should probably help her, he did love her after all. But he didn't care. He tried to shake his head and clear his mind of those strange thoughts, but he couldn't gather the energy to move.

He glared at his ring and grit his teeth. He was a Green Lantern, for goodness sake! With a grunt of extreme effort, he surrounded his body with a protective shield. As soon as he came out of contact with the mist, he felt his emotions returning to him. He ran over to Carol and grabbed her shoulder. "Carol? Are you okay?"

"Go away, Hal," she muttered sleepily.

Hal ran his hand through his hair and looked at his incapacitated companions. "Oh, this isn't good."

. . .

The newest planet in the universe was from another dimension. It was a fascinating world inhabited by humans who used highly advanced, steam-powered technology. Because of this, their planet had been named Steam Earth.

At the center of the planet, a man held the core in one piece. He had been there for several decades, and was prepared to be there for several more. On his finger was a green ring. It emanated light that seeped into the dirt and rock of the planet.

In the depths of space, an orb of teal light shot towards Steam Earth. It landed in an alley and struck the ground hard. It began to rotate quickly, drilling into the stone and beginning its journey to the planet's core.

. . .

Sorry, I meant to put that last vignette in the last chapter, my bad.

So far, all guesses about who the last Lantern is have been wrong. It isn't John Stewart or Aya. I'll reveal who it is and what the teal light represents in the next two chapters. My hints so far have been that it's male, someone in the GLAS cannon, not someone we met, and that he has something to do with the Steam Earth. My last hint is that he's an OG in the DC comic universe.

I got a lot of requests to add Black Lanterns into the story, so I had to comply. You can probably guess where that story arc will go.

To clarify, the special power of the Orange Lantern Corps is that whenever they kill someone, their rings absorb the identities of their victims and allow them to form constructs of the people they've killed. I wasn't sure if Komand'r killing the Orange Lantern Corps constructs would allow her to steal their identities, but what the heck, it's a fan fiction.


	9. Everybody Hates Hal

Same disclaimers as before. Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter 9: Everybody Hates Hal

Hal scratched his head and grimaced in effort. It was getting harder and harder to keep his protective shield up; the silver fog ate at it like acid. From what he could gather, the mist made him slowly loose his emotions and willpower. He grunted angrily. A ring that could effectively shut down every other power ring? That was far too powerful to leave in anyone's hands, let alone somebody who had some sort of vendetta against downtown Tallahassee.

His fellow lanterns were scattered around him, groaning sleepily on the ground. He tried to put a dome around his friends to protect them from the mist, but the mist was still inside the dome, infecting his friends with indifference. Hal sighed and dropped the dome.

"Looks like you're having some issues there."

Hal looked out into the mist, trying to find the source of the voice. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"What do I want?" the mist swirled in front of Hal and slowly solidified into a silver, humanoid construct, "I don't want anything. Never have." The construct took a step forward, the fog clinging to it like magnetized dust. "As for who I am?" the figure paused, "It doesn't really matter. Why? Who are you and what do you want?"

"I'm Green Lantern," said Hal, raising his ring to the construct, "My friends and I are here to get your ring. It's too dangerous for you to use; you can't control its power."

"Well, I wouldn't say that," the construct faded back into fog and solidified again, "I think I got a pretty good handle on it. Watch this." The fog rushed around Hal and he braced himself again the wind. Around him his friends slowly got to their feet. They turned to face him, their eyes glowing silver. "I control them," whispered at voice in Hal's ear, "I took away all their cares, all their fears. Do you want to know what they really think of you? The squirrel in particular has some things to say to you."

Ch'p turned his tiny head to the side. "You always underestimate me," he said slowly with a voice that would make Alvin and the Chipmunks sound bass, "Just because I'm small, you think I don't have value on this team. That hurts, Hal Jordan, it makes me mad. But I don't do anything because I'm scared you might be right."

Hal stared in shock. "Ch'p, I…I never realized. I never thought of you as-"

"You're a pozer," growled Kilowog, "You're half the Lantern I am, but when there's a crisis, who do the Guardians turn to? Always Jordan, never Kilowog. What do you have that makes you so much better than me, pozer?"

Hal staggered backwards. "Kilowog, what? I'm not better than you!"

"You're so handsome."

Hal spun and stared at Arisia. "What?"

"You're so handsome," her silver-coated eyes looked into his without emotion or anxiety, "You make it hard to think straight. You're so smart and comforting. I just want to impress you, but you'll never go for me. I'm too young, you have a girlfriend, it just wouldn't work out. But that just makes it worse for me." She put her hand over her heart, "Every time I look at you, my heart shatters."

"Arisia," murmured Hal, "Stop, please, everyone stop."

"Hal," Carol put her hand on his shoulder.

"No," whispered Hal, "Not you Carol, don't tell me I hurt you too."

"Enough," everyone collapsed to the ground, their eyes returning to normal.

Hal clutched his head. "Why did they tell me that?" he whispered, "I never wanted to hurt them."

"Of course you didn't," said the voice, "Nobody really wants to hurt anyone. But they do, Green Lantern, people hurt other people. It's just what we do. The only way to avoid it is to not feel anything." Hal slowly sunk to his knees. "If you don't care, then you can't be hurt. If nobody cares, nobody can get hurt. You feel pain, you feel guilt. I can take it away from you."

"Then why?" hissed Hal, "Why didn't you take away my emotions? Why did you make them say those things?"

"Oh, just a whim. Now, you want my ring?" Everyone stood back up again, their eyes clouding over with silver. "Follow them to me and the ring is yours." Hal stood up and followed his friends wordlessly. He would have liked to say that was easy, but that would have been a lie.

. . .

Sinestro wanted to see his target, but it was very difficult to look inside a sun. Fifty Green Lantern Honor Guards rotated around the red star's equator, their eyes shielded by thick, green sunglasses. Sinestro flew up to one of them. "Excuse me?"

The Green Lantern stopped and stared at Sinestro. "What? Do we have orders from the Guardians?"

"Um, no, I just need to check on your prisoner, make sure he doesn't have any contraband."

"Oh," said the Green Lantern, his shoulders drooping sadly, "I see." He raised his ring and the parade of guards stopped moving. They all shot a line of green light into the heart of the star. With tremendous effort, they formed a gap in the red sun big enough for Sinestro to fit through. He thickened his shield to resist the heat and flew forward into the star.

At the heart of the red star was a cage made of green light. Sitting with his legs crossed in the center of the cage was a young boy with a large, bloody 'S' carved into his bare chest.

"Another human," muttered Sinestro in disappointment, "This one's even locked up."

"Kryptonian," snapped the prisoner, his eyes slowly opening, "I'm not a human, I'm Kryptonian."

"Hmm, would explain the red sun prison," said Sinestro, "Still, I'm unimpressed."

"If I was out of this cage," seethed the boy, "I would rip you in half."

"Yes," said Sinestro with a yawn, "But you're in that cage and I'm out here. Point goes to me." Sinestro swiveled and flew out of the star. "One last thing," said Sinestro to the Green Lantern guards who had gathered around the entrance they had formed. "Did any of you see a yellow light fly into the star?" They all shook their heads and Sinestro slew out without another word, his faith in the Guardians diminishing even more.

. . .

Komand'r sat on her throne in the arena. At her feet was her sister, wrapped in bronze coils with syringes of bronze liquid rotating around her, jabbing her occasionally and sending scalding hot liquid into her blood.

"Please," whispered Koriand'r, "Please." That was all she had said for the last four days. Komand'r glared at her, resting her cheek on her fist. The doors burst open and a young Tamaranean rushed in dressed in full battle armor.

"Your armies are ready, my queen," he said, sweating nervously.

Koriand'r smiled. "Good. We'll begin our assault tomorrow." The young warrior stood turned to leave. "Where do you think you're going?"

The warrior gulped and slowly turned to face Komand'r, his eyes wide. "M-my queen?"

Komand'r stood and stretched out her muscles, cracking various joints in the process. "I remember you," she said conversationally, "You were one of my sister's friends weren't you?"

"Um, y-yes my queen."

Komand'r walked forwards, a bronze scourge forming in her hand. "My arms are tired." The coils around Koriand'r rose and became a whipping rack. Komand'r flicked her whip expertly; ripping her sister's top in two, revealing her bruised and bloodied back. "I need someone to keep up her torment," Komand'r wrapped herself around the warrior. She rested her head on his shaking shoulder and slipped her whip into his hand. "Why don't you take a turn?" She spun around and walked towards the exit. She opened the doors and grinned in vindictive pleasure as she heard her sister's fresh screams of betrayal and pain.

. . .

Razer sat in the pilot's seat, his eyes following the young speedster around the bridge. Kid Flash was running back and forth around the dashboard. "What does this do?"

"That's the loudspeaker."

"What does this do?"

"That's the autopilot."

"What does this do?"

"That turns on the nav computer. Touch it and I kill you."

"What does this do?"

"If I said I didn't know would you stop asking questions?" sneered Razer.

Kid Flash ran up and leaned against the controlling consol. "What's your name?"

Razer blinked thoughtfully. "I suppose here my name would be Blue Lantern."

Kid Flash frowned. "No, I mean your real name. Here," he reached up and pulled down his cowl, revealing a splash of freckles scattered across his nose and cheeks. "I'm Wally West."

Razer stared. "Aren't you not supposed to tell me your true name? I thought everyone here was supposed to have two names, one they go by and one they only share with friends."

"No, that's only with superheroes."

"I see. In that case, my name is Razer."

"Razer? Dude! That is the coolest name I have ever heard in my life! What does this do?"

Razer sighed and slumped in his chair. "That's the main gun."

Wally's eyes widened. "The gun? That's so cool! Can I shoot it?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Fine." Wally ran around the dashboard and, before Razer could react, pressed the button that activated the nav computer. Lame-o's green cube appeared above the consol.

"Greetings, Blue Lantern Razer!" he exclaimed, "Please excuse me while I clean the ship of intruders!"

Razer sighed as turrets dropped from the ceiling and began firing bolts of green light down at Wally. The young boy gasped and dashed around the ship, the green bullets raining down on him leaving scorch marks around the cabin. Razer stood up, dodging around the green shots and turned off Lame-o.

"Wow," muttered Wally as he panted, "Are all alien computers evil or is it just this one?"

Razer grabbed Wally by the chest and lifted him up. "Don't. Touch. Anything." he hissed. He dropped Wally and walked off towards his cabin to meditate. He plopped down with his legs crossed and breathed deeply, closing his eyes and focusing on the blue energy emanating from his power battery.

"So, I'm kind of sensing some hostility here." Razer cracked open one eye and glared at the young human leaning in his doorway.

"Who told you that you could come in here?"

"Nobody said I couldn't."

Razer fingered the pouch around his neck. "Are all human adolescents as annoying as you?"

"Are aliens as rude as you?" They stared at each other angrily for a few moments. Wally blinked. "Hey, they've been gone a while."

Razer closed his eyes and returned to his meditating. "I'm sure they're fine."

Wally pulled his cowl back up. "I'm going after them."

"We were told to stay here."

"And you always do what you're told?"

Razer groaned and stood up. He grabbed his power battery and pushed his ring into its blue depths. "In fearful day, in raging nights," he recited dully, "With strong hearts full, our souls ignite. When all seems lost in the wars of light, look to the stars, for hope burns bright." His room was lit by the blue light for a moment before it died down and sucked into his ring. "Alright," he said with a sigh, "Let's go."

. . .

Hal marched forward towards a broken down shack of a house in the center of the fog. His friends collapsed around the lawn as they stepped on the poorly-kept grass. Hal caught Carol and slowly lowered her to the ground. He gave her a light peck on the cheek and she groaned. "Let me sleep, Hal!" Hal gave her a small smile and stood, walking up the porch.

He opened the door and his eyes widened in surprise. There was no fog inside the house. The door opened straight into the living room where a young girl sat on a couch, staring into a T.V. screen. "Um, hello?"

The girl looked up. "Green Lantern, right? Evan'll be back soon. He just had to go put out some fires."

Hal blinked. "Put out fires?"

The girl used the remote to turn off the television. "Yeah, some people were cooking when he did his…thing."

Hal slowly walked in. The girl patted the space next to her on the couch and Hal sat down. "So this Evan, he your brother?" she nodded, "And he did all this?"

"No," she said with a sigh, "That stupid ring did. He's always been kind of distant, but that ring made him a complete sociopath."

Hal nodded. "Do you think he'll give me the ring?"

The girl shrugged. "If you ask him nicely."

"After what he did?" snarled Hal, "Fat chance."

"Yeah, he told me about that. He's not normally like this."

Hal sighed reluctantly. "I know, the ring dulled his emotions and amplified his indifference, it happens." They sat in silence for a bit before a gust of wind and silver fog blew open the door. In the doorway stood a young man with a silver uniform on. On his chest was a crest with two circles and a line drawn vertically between them.

The girl stood up. "Well it's about time, Evan. Attack Green Lantern."

Hal blinked. "What?" Evan shot forward, his hand wrapping around Hal's throat. "You!" he gasped.

The girl dusted herself off and put her hands on her hips. "Yes, me," she said, "I've been pushed around my whole life. Well, now I have brother with super powers who does whatever I say. Guess who's doing the pushing now?" Evan tossed Hal through the roof with a grunt. Hal cried out as he was thrown through the wooden roof and landed hard on the pavement outside. He stood up as Evan and his sister walked out of the house. "For the first time, I'm in control," Evan raised his ring and Hal's friends stood up with glowing eyes. "And no stupid super hero is going to take it away."

Evan sighed and closed his eyes. "With all on the line or nothing at stake," he said, "No emotion influences what I create. Hatred, love, happiness and sadness I spurn. I simply exist; I am Silver Lantern."

Hal gulped. "Great."

. . .

Krona opened his fist and smiled at his creation. He flicked it out into the universe and watched with delight as it spiraled off to the being most worthy of wielding the powers of Nekros. He sat back and rested, feeling his powers slowly returning to him.

. . .

At the center of Steam Earth, the man holding the planet together stared up at the stone and dirt roof of his resting place. For several hours, pits of dirt and stone had been falling from one particular area. It worried the man; he hadn't seen any activity in the decades. Finally, a small hole formed in his ceiling and a teal light fell through it. The light retracted into itself to form a ring.

"Alan Scott of Earth," said a voice in his head, "You have unlimited patience. Welcome to the Teal Lantern Corps." The ring slipped onto his hand, next to his green ring. The man, Alan Scott, stared at the ring and smiled. He used his green ring to pick up the dirt and stones around him and filled the hole the ring had made. "Patience, huh?" he said to himself. He hadn't spoken in years, so his voice was gravelly and rough. He ran his hand through his grey-streaked hair, "Sounds about right." With that, he went back to holding together a planet.

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep em' coming!

Congratulations to Little Angel in Purple for correctly figuring out that the last lantern was Alan Scott. Don't worry, I already know how I'm going to fit you into the story.


	10. A Flash of Silver Lining

Black Phoenix Risen cannot be here right now do to reasons of vengeance, but he has left this chapter to be posted for your enjoyment.

Same disclaimers as before

Chapter 10: A Flash of Silver Lining

"This is a bad idea."

"Shut up. What could go wrong?"

Razer sighed and rubbed his temples. "Famous last words," he murmured. Kid Flash grunted and crouched down, ready to run. Razer quickly formed a blue box around the speedster.

"Hey!"

Razer drifted to the ground and approached the silver dome. "For one so quick, you are rather slow-witted."

"Like I haven't heard that one before," snorted Kid Flash. Razer gently put his hand against the silver. As soon as it touched his skin, he felt strange, like everything was muted. His hope, his precious love, was failing. He began to lower his hand further into the cloud.

"This is strange," he said to himself. He slowly lowered the construct around Kid Flash. Why shouldn't he? It didn't matter if the young human rushed headfirst into the dome.

Kid Flash stared at him incredulously. "Are you okay man?"

Razer considered the query for a moment before replying with a simple shrug and a "Meh,"

Kid Flash frowned and grabbed Razer's other arm. "C'mon, man, you're freaking me out here."

He pulled hard, but Razer shook him off. "Just let me be," Razer mumbled, his eyelids drooping. Kid Flash rubbed his head, his mind racing. Suddenly, he ran over to the nearest police officer, his gun still trained nervously on the fog. "Hey, so, when Flash and I got here, why was he so freaked out?"

"We shot at his ship."

"Right. Thanks, dude." Kid flash ran back to the ship, scooping up some stray pebbles on the pavement as he did. "Hey! Tall, dark, and dismal!" Razer blinked at him, up to his elbow into the mist. "Watch this!" Kid Flash began to hurl the small rocks at the hull of the Aya, dinging them off her pristine metal. Razer watched in disinterest. His face never changed from a relaxed frown. Kid Flash scowled and tossed his last stone onto the ship. With a final ding, it hit the 'Aya' emblazoned across her face, scratching the paint. Razer's eye's widened and he yanked his hand out of the fog.

The pouch around his neck ripped and a small red ring shot onto his finger, the blue ring on the other hand dropping off, clinking on the street. With a screech of rage, Razer's body was engulfed in red light. Kid Flash stepped back and shielded his face against the light. When he looked back, he was staring directly into the flaming eyes of a fully enraged Razer.

The Red Lantern grabbed the teen by the throat faster than even the speedster could react and lifted him off the ground. "You…you _defiled_ her name." he reared back his fist and a red dagger shot from his knuckles. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you!" Kid Flash gulped and swung his foot up, kicking Razer in the jaw. The alien dropped him in surprise and Kid Flash ducked down, grabbing the ring straight off his finger. Razer howled in shock and pain as his red energy was ripped away, back into the ring. He fell to his knee, exhausted and panting.

"Razer?" Said Kid Flash, approaching the downed extraterrestrial carefully, "We cool?"

Razer glared over his shoulder at the teen. "You just put enough rage in my heart to incite my re-induction into the Red Lantern Corps. I spent weeks of meditation to achieve the calm needed to take off my ring by myself." He slowly struggled to his feet and shambled over to his fallen blue ring. "You just set me back to the beginning of my training as a Blue Lantern."

"Oh, sorry."

Razer picked up his ring and slipped it on, sighing as he felt its calming influence once again. "Still, thank you for saving me from that…stuff." He frowned as he had to use an unusual amount of hope to stitch his torn pouch back together. "Give me the ring," he said, holding his hand out to Kid Flash.

"Are you sure?"

"I'll be alright now." Kid Flash tossed him the red ring and he quickly slipped it into the pouch, pulling the drawstrings tight to keep the red light from him.

"What is this stuff anyway?" asked Kid Flash, leaning towards the mist.

Razer formed a large shield between the teen and the cloud. "I'm not sure," he said, "But whatever it is, it is powerful enough to negate emotions, even that of a Lantern. I would advise against touching it."

"Right, right," said Kid Flash, backing away, "So, what's the plan?" Razer glared at the mist. He formed a protective shield around himself and dipped his hand once more into the fog. It didn't affect him as before, but he could see his shield melting away when it touched the silver air.

He pulled it back grimly. "At any other time, I would encase us in a shield that would protect us from the fog's influence, but since my control of the Blue Light has been reduced, I doubt I could keep up a shield long enough fro us to meet up with the others."

Kid Flash nodded and rubbed his chin. "Can you fly the ship into the fog?"

"Maybe, I'd rather not risk her against the unknown."

"What if I rotated my arms really fast to make a vortex and blew the fog out of our way?"

Razer stared at him in surprise and amazement. "You can do that?"

Kid Flash looked at the ground. "No, Flash can, but he's still teaching me the basics. I can't even vibrate my molecules without getting a nosebleed." They stood in silent thought for a moment before Kid Flash raised his head and looked around. "Hey, look." He said, nudging Razer. He pointed to a truck in the distance where some men in white coats were examining the fog. "Scientists."

"So?"

"Field scientists. Dealing with unknown, volatile, alien materials."

"So?"

"So, they probably have hazmat suits."

. . .

Hal punched Evan in the face and the younger man fell back, his expressionless face maintaining its blankness. Hal lunged at his sister, but Kilowog tackled him from the side and drove him into the street. "Kilwog?" groaned Hal as the massive alien stood above him. "Why?"

Kilowog shrugged. "Why not?" He raised his fist and Hal rolled away just as it slammed into the pavement where his head had been a second ago. Hal scrambled to his feet and raised his ring. Something kicked him hard in the back and he flew back into Kilowog's grip with a grunt. He glanced back to see Flash staring droopily at him.

"Et tu, Barry?" Hal muttered. He made a massive spring between him and Kilowog and coiled them tightly, shooting Kilowog backwards. As the alien fell, Carol clambered over his back and leapt at Hal. He ducked and Carol landed with a crouch behind him before spinning with a kick and brought Hal to the ground. "I know this is neither the time nor place," Hal sighed, "But why aren't you this agile in bed?" He pushed himself up and pushed Carol to the ground as he did. He quickly dropped twin green handcuffs around her ankles and wrists.

Just as he breathed a small sigh of relief, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his neck from behind. Instinctively, he kicked back and heard a grunt of pain as his boot connected with something. The arms around his neck loosened and he wrenched free with a turn. Arisia was staring at her knee, where a bruise was already forming. She shrugged with a sigh and reached behind her. Ch'p scampered onto her hand and she tossed him like a baseball. Hal formed a green tennis racket and smashed the squirrel away. "Why aren't any of you using your rings?" he muttered to himself. Arisia looked at her ring and pointed it at Hal, but nothing happened, her ring wasn't even glowing.

"I always liked elf ears as a kid," said Hal, raising his ring, "But I wondered how sensitive they were, how many decibels can they take?" A massive speaker formed besides him and a green electric guitar appeared in his hands. He didn't play the instrument, but for his purposes, he didn't need to. He strummed violently and a wave of high-pitched sound shot out of the amplifier. Arisia's eyes widened and she sank to her knees, blood dripping out of her ears.

Hal's speaker shattered as Flash ran through it. Hal put up a shield dome, but Flash ran up and delivered a hundred punches in less than a second, shattering the construct and sending Hal into the ground painfully. Hal grimaced and formed a block of green concrete around the Flash's feet. Barry tripped over, but quickly vibrated his molecules out of the concrete. Hal scowled as Flash ran circles around him. It was a common diversion tactic that Barry used. Hal shot out a giant green fist and Flash ran straight into it, knocked out cold.

Even flew out of the mist, his fist cocked back. He punched Hal in the face and Hal grunted from the pain as he reeled backwards. Even didn't let up, barraging Hal with punches and kicks, backing him into the unknown fathoms of the mist. After a few moments of this assault, Hal threw up green boxing gloves and remembered his training at the hands of Kilowog. "Block," he muttered, raising his arms, "Counter." He spun away from the attack and jumped up, brining his fist down onto Evan's head. The young man grunted and backed away.

"Jab," Hal told himself, "Jab, duck, haymaker," he wove between Evan's punches and delivered a few of his own. He danced on his toes as Evan tried to focus and recovered from Hal's attacks. "Tell me, kid," Said Hal, blocking an uppercut, "Why do you want to do this anyway? Because your sister told you?"

"Whatever."

"Why are you listening to her?"

"Whatever."

Hal paused. "What time is it?"

"Whatever."

"What color is my ring?"

"Whatever."

"Can you say something other than whatever?"

"Whatever."

Hal rolled his eyes. "Right." He attacked abruptly with right hook and his gloved fist smashed into Evan's temple. The young man didn't make a sound, but Hal could see pain blossom behind his eyes. "Your ring is powered by indifference," said Hal, "And it makes it harder to use my ring. How can I beat you?"

"You can't." From the mist behind Evan, his sister walked out, hands in her pockets. "You and your friends get your powers from your emotions, but Evan can drain your emotion using this mist. Face it, it's taking all of your concentration to keep your friends immobilized, keep up your shields, and fight my brother. All it would take was a single distraction to take you down."

Hal raised his fists as Evan adapted a fighting stance. "Give it up, kid, even if you take me down, there are hundreds of other heroes out there who would take my place."

"And I'll make them my slaves," the girl said with a shrug, "Evan controls anyone touched by the mist, and I control Evan." Hal grunted as Evan leapt forwards and jabbed at him. This was going to be a problem.

. . .

"We look ridiculous." Razer grumbled.

"But we're not brainwashed zombies, and that's what counts." The Blue Lantern glared down at his young companion through the thick plastic that separated his face from the fog. The hazmat suits were heavy and thick and, while sturdy protection against the silver mist, made it downright impossible to fight. Razer sighed and continued walking forwards.

"What is the point of this anyway? I'm sure they are fine."

"Look I'm worried about Flash, alright?"

Razer cocked an eyebrow. "You do not have faith in your mentor's abilities?"

"Of course not! Flash is the fastest man in the world, but…"

"But?"

"He's dating my aunt."

Razer hesitated, but never broke his stride. "I see."

"No, you don't," said Kid Flash with a sigh, "My aunt hasn't exactly had the best love life, she deserves to be happy, but guys keep breaking her heart. Barry, he's the first guy in a long time to treat her right." He stared at his hands, "If I ever let something happen to him…" he let the sentence hang, but Razer knew all too well just how much weight those words carried.

"I understand," he said quietly, "Twice in my life I have let down those I love. I hope never to do so again. It's not an experience I would advise."

"Aya?" Razer fixed him with a glare, "You didn't care about the ship," explained Kid Flash, "You cared about her name."

Razer nodded. "You're smarter than you look. Yes, Aya."

"I'm sorry."

"She's not dead," said Razer, "Just…scattered. She was too smart not to have a backup program of her consciousness stored somewhere. I hope to find it one day and reconstruct her."

Kid Flash stared at him. "I, um, ah…what?"

"She was a sentient, self-aware android."

"Oh, cool." They continued to walk forwards together. After a while, Kid Flash sighed and drooped his shoulders. "Hey, Razer?"

"Mmm?"

"We have no idea where we're going, do we?"

"Absolutely none."

"And we have no idea where we are now, do we?"

"No part of that statement was incorrect."

"Right, just checking."

. . .

Komand'r glared over her army. They were assembled in straight lines and massive battalions, all looking at her with fear and respect. Her forces were made up of thousands of young Tamaraneans and hundreds of experienced Warlords. Komand'r slowly stood, her shining bronze gown falling like a waterfall around her. She waved her hand and her dress morphed into sturdy, bronze battle armor.

"My subjects," she said, her voice ringing throughout the arena where they were gathered, "I would give you an inspiring speech, filled with endearing and powerful words that would bring you to your knees in worship of me." She drifted down and landed majestically on the ground. "It would be memorable, enticing, funny at times, and would cause you to rush into battle in my glorious name to die on my behalf." She walked up to a random Tamaranean soldier and caressed his cheek. "I would give such a speech," she said, "But you're fighting for me," she smiled and the soldier she was touching shivered in her touch. "That should be inspiration enough." She flew up to her throne and reclined, twirling a bronze scepter. "Now go, engage the enemy." As one, her army bowed to her and filed ranks passed her, out of the arena.

"You'll never win."

Komand'r sighed and spun her throne around. Behind her, Koriand'r was rigged in a bronze construct with thousands of needles poking into her skin, making any movement excruciating. "Come again, sister dear?"

"You'll never win," Koriand'r closed her eyes and kept her breath shallow to restrict her movement.

Komand'r cackled. "Oh? Why not?"

"You lack the trust of the people."

"I don't need it." Komand'r smiled, "Now there's something I've been wanting to try…"

Koriand'r grit her teeth, bracing herself for the unimaginable torture to come. "Do your worst."

"I intend to."

. . .

"Huh," muttered Razer, "This is new. I don't know if I've ever seen Kilowog in such bad shape." He knelt down over Kilowog's unconscious form.

"C'mon Flash, wake up!" said Kid Flash nervously as he slapped his mentor's cheeks to no avail. Razer stood and walked passed a bleeding and groaning Arisia. He crouched down and stared at Carol, still inhibited by green cuffs.

"What happened here, Star Sapphire?"

Carol looked at him lazily. "Mmm, Evan told me to kill Hal, so I tried to. But he cuffed me, soooo here we are."

"Evan?"

"Some kid with a Silver Ring or whatever."

Razer nodded. "I see. Thank you for your help."

"No problem."

Razer stood. "Let's go, Kid Flash."

Kid Flash glanced up at him. "But Flash-"

"I'm sure will be fine. But Green Lantern needs our help."

Kid Flash grimaced and stood up. "Fine, so what do we do?" Hal appeared out of the fog and slammed into Kid Flash, sending both of them flying.

Razer sighed. "I suppose we just stand around and wait for the trouble to find us." Out of the fog appeared a young man in a silver uniform, walking casually towards Hal. "Evan I presume?"

"Whatever." Evan didn't even look at him.

Razer watched as he passed. "I see. Your ring works based on how little you care. So why are you doing this?"

"Because I'm telling him to." A girl walked out of the fog, her hands shoved deep into her pockets.

Kid Flash stumbled out of the fog next to Razer, patting over his suit. "Okay, we're good. I don't think Green Lantern broke through the suit. What's going on?"

Razer groaned. "Try to keep up, won't you? The Silver Lantern is powered by indifference and he's being controlled by this female."

Kid Flash tried to scratch his head. "Who're you?"

"I'm his sister." For a moment, they all stood, staring at each other. Hal and Evan grappled with each other and tumbled between Razer and Kid Flash and Evan's sister. Kid Flash dashed forward to help, but he was weighed down by the heavy suit, giving Razer enough time to grab his shoulder.

"We have to do something!" protested Kid Flash.

"If our suits are compromised, we'll be turned into weapons for the Silver Lantern to use against Hal," explained Razer, "We can't risk turning the tide against him." Kid Flash almost stomped his feet in frustration. For a few moments, they all stood in a circle, watching the two Lanterns wrestling on the ground. Hal would occasionally form a construct, but they were weak from his lack of concentration.

"Wait," said Kid Flash suddenly, "The Silver Lantern is powered by indifference, right? That's the emotion of not caring, right?"

"Yes," said Razer hesitantly.

"So, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

The penny dropped and Razer gasped. "Kid Flash, forget everything I've ever said to you. You are a genius."

Kid Flash grinned. "You want to start, or should I?"

Razer smiled. "It would be an honor." With that, he swiveled and punched Evan's sister in the face. The girl was too surprised to block and tripped backwards, landing with a thump. She cried out and hissed as she rubbed her tailbone.

Kid Flash dove forwards and slid behind her, wrapping his arms around her neck. "I hate to hurt a girl, babe. But you know what they say about desperate times."

"Evan!" screamed the girl and the Silver Lantern looked over. His eyes widened and he ran forwards. Razer knelt down and tripped him up, sending Evan sprawling.

"Get your hands," snarled Evan as he raised his ring, swinging back and forth between Razer and Kid Flash, "Off my sister!"

Razer smiled. He could already see the mist thinning. "It's working!" Evan grimaced as he thrust his ring towards Kid Flash, but nothing happened, not even a spark.

Hal walked up next to Razer. "What's going on?"

"His ring is powered by him not caring about anything," said Kid Flash, "But whenever he starts to care about something, he looses his power. That's why the mist doesn't affect her; he cares for her too much for his power to touch her."

"And he cares even more now because his sister is in danger!" exclaimed Hal, "That's brilliant Razer!" The sun began to poke through the mist as Razer shrugged.

"Actually, Kid Flash came up with it."

"Really? You don't say." Hal stared at the grinning red-headed hero, "Maybe the kid has some potential after all."

Razer smiled. "Perhaps all he needs is a little hope." Evan stared at his ring in confusion and Kid Flash took advantage of the moment. He dropped the girl and stripped out of the hazmat suit with his super speed. Before anyone could blink, he dashed forward and snatched the ring straight off of Evan's finger. Evan gasped in shock as what little emotion he had returned abruptly and the last of the fog slurped back into the silver ring.

"And that's a wrap, folks," said Kid Flash, flipping the ring like a coin.

Evan slowly sunk to his knees. "Huh," he murmured, "Did I just take over a city with alien powers because my sister told me to?" Razer and Hal exchanged a glance and nodded. "Right, just making sure," said Evan.

"So what now?" asked Kid Flash.

"I don't know about you guys," said Evan, "But I'm going home."

Kid Flash stared at him. "You think we're just going to let you go after what you did?"

"Let him go, Kid," said a voice. They all turned and saw a disheveled Flash and Carol supporting a barely conscious Kilowog and Arisia. "He wasn't in control of himself," continued the Flash, "None of this was his fault. She, on the other hand," he glared at Evan's sister, who glared at all of them in turn before dashing off down the street. Kid Flash rolled his eyes and shot forward, holding his arm out and clothes-lining the girl. She fell on the pavement with a groan.

"Sorry babe," he said with a smirk, "But I'm the fastest boy alive."

"Will she be alright?" asked Evan monotonously.

Hal formed handcuffs around her wrists. "You can visit her in prison," he reassured Evan.

Carol walked over to Hal and leaned on his shoulder. "Well this has been…an experience."

"A good one?" Hal chuckled.

"It could've gone better," she admitted, "But it all ended well, and that's all we could ask for. Still, I think you should handle the rest of your adventure with your friends. I'll make sure little miss take-over-a-city here gets into police custody."

"Probably the only time a woman wants her boyfriend out of the house to hang out with his friends," laughed Hal.

"With all due respect, Lantern Jordan," muttured Arisia, "Shut up, everything sounds like a drum in my ear."

Hal cringed. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"See you guys," called Evan, walking away, "I'm out of here. Give me the details in that one phone call of yours, sis."

His sister stared at him incredulously. "You're not going to help me here?"

Evan stopped and turned back. "Is your life in danger?"

"Well, no not now, but-"

"Will you get three square meals a day in prison?"

"I thinks so, but-"

"You'll be safe, secure, fed, looked after, and I'll still be able to visit you." He shrugged. "No offense sis, but after all this," he waved his hand at the city around them. A few pedestrians were slowly shambling around, shaking their heads as their emotions and cares returned to them. "Maybe juvie is the best place for you right now." With that, he turned about face and walked off, whistling a flat tune with his hands tucked behind his back, like he was taking a relaxing, evening constitutional.

"We should get going too, Kid," said Flash, "Your aunt is going to kill me for taking you all the way to Florida."

"Right," nodded Kid Flash.

"You've done well here, Kid Flash," said Razer, resting his hand on the speedster's shoulder, "I hope to see you as a powerful and prolific hero in the future." Kid Flash grinned at Razer before he and Flash shot off like blurs into the distance.

"I have to get back to the airfield," said Carol, "Next time, tell me when you come back to Earth, 'kay?"

Hal puller her in for a long, deep kiss filled with passion and love. Carol's pink ring glowed brightly as they pulled apart, but kept their heads bent towards each other. "I promise," he whispered.

"If either of you feel like coming up for air," called Kilowog, "We need to get moving. If I spend another minute on this forsaken planet, I'll turn in my ring and retire!" He turned and flew off in the direction of the Aya, Razer and Arisia following him closely.

Hal stared into Carol's eyes. "Babe-"

"Let's not draw this out, Hal," said Carol with a smile, "I'll see you when you get back."

Hal grinned. "I don't suppose I can count this as a paid vacation, can I?"

"Don't push your luck, cowboy. Now go save the universe."

Hal laughed aloud, which made Carol's smile widen. "Love you, babe!" He called as he shot off into the sky after his fellow Lanterns.

They all fell to the ground outside the Aya where service men and women were cheering and applauding them. Arisia clutched her hands to her ears as tears of pain streamed down her face. "I'm going to kill you," she muttered, glaring angrily at Hal. Hal grinned sheepishly and waved to the crowd as he started up the ramp.

"So, I say we never speak of this again," proposed Kilowog as they boarded the ship, "Two Lanterns, one of them a training instructor, brought down by one of his former students? I'd never hear the end of it."

"Speaking of hearing things," snarled Arisia, "I'm going to the med bay." She stormed off and gave Hal a pointed look as the sliding door slammed shut behind her.

"I must go to my quarters to meditate," said Razer, "Please do not interrupt me, I will need some time to reintegrate my connection with the Blue Light." He flew off, leaving Kilowog and Hal alone on the ship's bridge.

"Kilowog," started Hal, "Do you hate me?"

Kilowog blinked. "What kind of question is that, Jordan? We've been stranded in the forgotten zone together for months on end! We stopped a Red Lantern invasion and killed the Anti-Monitor! You're my comrade and friend, why would I hate you?"

Hal smiled in relief. "You're right, I guess it was a stupid question."

"That being said," continued Kilwog as he took his place at the control board, "You could stand to follow orders a little more often." Hal scowled at his friend who grinned in response.

"I never thought I'd actually be glad to leave Earth," said Hal as he power up the ship, bringing it a few yards off the ground before sending it towards the sky.

Kilowog hesitated. "Do you feel like we're forgetting something?"

Hal thought a moment before his eyes snapped so wide, his mask threatened to fall off. "Whoops."

. . .

"I'm really starting to hate humans," complained Ch'p as he watched the Aya make a harsh u-turn back to earth.

"Tell me about it," said the squirrel next to him on the branch.

. . .

Indigo-1 looked out over her assembled tribe. They had formed roughly a week ago by the standards of Oa, but they already stood several dozen strong. Indigo-2 flew up to her. "They want to hear you speak good words to them, sister," he said.

Indigo-1 smiled and opened her arms. "Brothers, sisters," she called. All eyes were fixed upon her. "Soon, we will officially make ourselves known to the universe. We will spread good will and caring throughout the worlds and all races and peoples will understand one another! Nok!"

"Nok!" her congregation called back happily.

"And here is where we will begin!" she pointed down with her staff at the planet below them. "Okaraa has always been home to the Warlords, but recently, it has become a hive of jealousy and greed! However, with our help, they will find peace! Nok!"

"Nok!"

"Are you ready, my siblings in compassion?"

"Nok!"

"Then let us descend!" As one, the entire tribe rose up and shot down towards the surface of the planet.

. . .

A few days later, Evan sat down behind the viewing glass at the Tallahassee General Jail and picked up the phone on the wall. "Sup, sis?"

His sister glared at him from her side. "Don't call me that. You're not my brother."

"I don't care, you're still my sister."

"You turned me over to the pigs!"

"Technically the hot lady in the pink bikini did that."

"What do you want, Evan?"

"I don't know, I just wanted to talk."

"I don't want to talk to you."

"I don't care."

"Yes, you've made that abundantly clear." They sat in silence for several minutes, simply looking at each other. Finally, a buzzer rang and a guard yelled that visiting hours were over.

Evan stood. "See you later, Sarah."

Sarah sighed and stood up as well, her hands cuffed in uncomfortable metal bonds. "See you later, Evan."

. . .

Hello! Black Phoenix Risen here! Unfortunately, I'm away right now dealing with some issues regarding an ex-girlfriend, a living napkin, and an existential graffiti artist (really it might be better if you don't know). So I've handed off this chapter to my good friend who has asked to remain nameless.

I plan to be back by the next chapter, so don't worry. Also, sorry for taking so long to get this out there, but the living napkin will talk on and on about nothing and if he thinks you're not paying attention he absorbs all the blood from your body (again, ignorance is bliss). To make up for it, I made this chapter extra long.

Please review!


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